This was not exactly what Quique Sánchez Flores had planned. Attempting to avoid the ignominy of becoming the first side in Watford’s history to go 11 home league matches without a win, instead the Spaniard could only watch on in despair as rampant Burnley scored three goals without reply in the second half to record their first away victory in the
Premier League since April and move up to sixth.
It left Watford’s manager back where he started, with Norwich’s victory at Everton condemning his side to bottom place in the league once again. Following Chris Wood’s smart finish just after half-time, Flores and – perhaps more pertinently, his employers – will be concerned to see how his side capitulated as Ashley Barnes and James Tarkowski rounded off hugely satisfying afternoon for his opposite number, Sean Dyche. “In the first half we were below par but we had a good reaction in the second half,” said the delighted Burnley manager. “You have to stay in it to win it and we did. I don’t think it was a 3-0 performance but we will take it.”