Burnley's late turnaround piles the pressure on Everton
Major impact: Burnley's Josh Brownhill (right) celebrates scoring his side's second goal with team-mate Jack Cork, who'd scored the first, to complete the comeback at Vicarage Road. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.
WATFORD’S relegation was all but confirmed after a late fightback extended Burnley’s remarkable turnaround under interim manager Mike Jackson and moved the Clarets one step closer to safety.
The Hornets were given hope when they took the lead through a James Tarkowski own goal but two goals in the final seven minutes - a Jack Cork header and Josh Brownhill’s strike - secured a third successive win that moved Jackson's side five points clear of the bottom clear.
Watford’s relegation, though, is now a formality. An 11th-successive home defeat means they are 12 points from safety with just four games remaining, having lost seven of their previous eight games, and with a worse goal difference than their rivals.
Hodgson had missed Friday’s media duties because of illness but the veteran manager was back in the dug-out for a game his side had to win to cling on to any remaining hope of staying up.
If ever a game fell into the must-win category, it was this, and Watford responded accordingly, immediately asserting themselves and dominating the opening period of the game. Their early efforts were awarded when they forced the lead after just eight minutes, assisted by a slice of good fortune.
A cross from right-back Kiko Femenia made its way through a crowded penalty area and reached Juraj Kucka at the far post. The midfielder’s rising shot struck the bar and bounced against Tarkowski’s shins and the defender was powerless to prevent the ball rebounding into the net.
It was the perfect start and Watford should have added to their lead with Kucka and Joao Pedro both coming close as Burnley struggled to contain the home side’s energetic start.
Slowly, though, the Clarets settled and they thought they had found a route back into the game when referee Craig Pawson pointed to the spot after Moussa Sissoko tripped Dwight McNeil. VAR Stuart Attwell reviewed the incident and to Watford’s relief spotted that contact was initially made just outside the area.
Kucka was again denied, this time by a fine save by Nick Pope early in the second half. But it was Burnley who looked more dangerous and Ashley Barnes was convinced he had equalised when he rose to meet McNeil’s corner only for keeper Ben Foster to direct the forward’s close range header against the bar.
Then when it seemed Watford might hold on, the Burnley pressure eventually told in the 83rd minute when left-back Charlie Taylor whipped in a cross that was met by Cork’s diving header at the far post. Three minutes later, the comeback was complete when Josh Brownhill took advantage of Watford’s failure to clear a free-kick, drilling home the second from the edge of the box.
The win piles the pressure on Frank Lampard and Everton who now find themselves five points adrift.
Foster 7; Femenia 7, Kabasele 6, Samir 5, Kamara 6; Sissoko 6, Louza 6, Kucka 7; Sarr 5, Joao Pedro 5, Dennis 5.
Bachmann, Ngakia, Troost-Ekong, King, Masina, Semi, Gosling, Kalu, Kayembe.
Pope 6; Roberts 6, Collins 7, Tarkowski 6, Taylor 7; McNeil 7, Cork 7, Brownhill 8, Lennon 7 (Lowton 89, 6); Vydra 6 (Stephens 90, 6), Weghorst 5 (Barnes 60, 7).
Hennessey, Bardsley, Long, Thomas, Costelloe.
Craig Pawson 6
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