Track Tickets
Watford 4-1 Chelsea
Watford goals: Troy Deeney 42 Pen, Daryl Janmaat 84, Gerard Deulofeu 88, Roberto Pereyra 90 +0:47
Chelsea goal: Eden Hazard 82
Chelsea was thrashed 4-1 by Watford after Tiemoue Bakayoko was sent for two bookable offenses in the first-half at Vicarage Road on Monday night. Watford condemned Antonio Conte's 10-man Chelsea to their second straight Premier League loss after netting four past the champions.The defeat came days after Chelsea suffered a 3-0 loss to Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. Bakayoko was sent off in the 30th minute before the visitors then gave away a penalty. The spot-kick was awarded for Thibaut Courtois' foul on Gerard Deulofeu in the box, which Deeney converted in the 42nd minute to score his fourth goal in all competitions this season. Conte brought on former Arsenal superstar Olivier Giroud for his debut in the second half and, with Eden Hazard pushed back into his preferred left wing spot, the new Belgian signing equalized in the 82nd minute.Chelsea then capitulated laying in three goals by Daryl Janmaat, Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra to lose 4-1 and remain in 4th place in the Premier League standings, one point above Tottenham Hotspur. After the match, Conte said his Chelsea players looked 'confused' in defeat to Watford.
Chelsea began the match at Vicarage Road under intense pressure not to lose more points after they were defeated 3-0 at home to relegation-battlers Bournemouth in midweek losing 3 points on the Premier League Table. However, the Blues got off to a weak start against Watford looking like they were still suffering from the ill effects of that defeat. Bakayoko put in one of his worst performances since joining Chelsea for £40m last summer. The midfielder first failed to clear the ball in the 8th minute, allowing Abdoulaye Doucoure to go for goal. Bakayoko then gave the ball away not long afterward, which ended in Gary Cahill having to block Richardson's fierce effort at goal. The 23-year-old next picked up two yellow cards in the space of just 5 minutes to hand Chelsea a one-man disadvantage for the rest of the match with only 30 minutes on the clock. His first caution came after he hauled Etienne Capoue down in midfield before he was sent off for catching Richarlison on the toe. Watford, who were already in control of the match as demonstrated by efforts on goal by Deulofeu and Deeney, then got another breakthrough when Courtois brought Deulofeu down. The goalkeeper had rushed out of his goal in an attempt to stop Janmaat's cross from reaching Deulofeu but, after catching the Spaniard, Deeney converted Watford's resulting spot-kick in the 42nd minute. Watford began the second half with a similar positive mentality. David Luiz and Cesc Fabregas were both cautioned for fouls as the Hornets searched for a second - and came close through Doucoure, who fired wide before forcing Courtois into a save while Richarlison drove his effort wide of the goal.
Chelsea's Eden Hazard then secured a goal for Chelsea with eight minutes left on the clock after he latched onto David Luiz's pass, ran into space, cut in and then drove a powerful effort past Orestis Karnezis. Hoverer Watford hit back with two goals in four minutes. Pereyra then added to the score-line for Watford with his injury-time goal. Before the clash, Antonio Conte was asked about the security of his job as Chelsea manager. "I must be honest, there were these type of rumors and speculation [that he might be sacked] even after the first game of the season when we lost against Burnley," Conte said. "Maybe I'd like the club to prepare a statement for me, no? To say they trust me in my work and my job. But, at the same time, I know this never happened in the past, so why should I hope for something different? But, for sure, I'd like to have a statement of support against this speculation. The challenge is that, in the past, this never happened. So it's a big challenge for the board to change the approach now. But, for sure, I'd be glad." After the defeat, Chelsea boss Conte was again asked about his job security.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said the club must make 'a decision' over his future, insisting he is not worried about his job at the Premier League champions. Pressure is mounting on the Italian after Chelsea lost 4-1 away at Watford on Monday, a second heavy defeat in succession after a 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth.To date Conte is still in charge at Stamford Bridge despite their heavy loss to Watford, but for how much longer? And reportedly Tiémoué Bakayoko's dismal 30-minute display at the start of the Watford defeat was the worst seen for a long time in the Premier League.
Squads
Watford
Karnezis; Mariappa, Prodl, Holebas, Janmaat; Capoue, Doucoure, Zeegelaar; Deulofeu, Richarlison, Deeney. Subs: Ndong, Gray, Lukebakio, Carrillo, Bachmann, Pereyra, Mukena.
Chelsea
Courtois; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Bakayoko, Zappacosta; Willian, Pedro, Hazard. Subs: Caballero, Rudiger, Fabregas, Drinkwater, Giroud, Emerson, Hudson-Odoi.
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)
England Premier League Week 26 Results
AFC Bournemouth 2-1 Stoke City
Arsenal 5-1 Everton
Brighton 3-1 West Ham United
Burnley 1-1 Manchester City
Crystal Palace v Newcastle United
Leicester City 1-1 Swansea City
Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United 2-0 Huddersfield Town
Watford 4-1 Chelsea
West Bromwich Albion 2-3 Southampton
England Premier League tickets
The line-up for the fifth round FA Cup draw is now complete after Tottenham saw off Newport County and Swansea won against Notts County. Great legal, 150% FA Cup tickets are for sale now at the LiveFootballTickets.com website.
England Premier League Week 27
Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion
Manchester City v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Manchester United
Southampton v Liverpool
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
Everton v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v AFC Bournemouth
Stoke City v Brighton
Swansea City v Burnley
West Ham United v Watford
