Sunderland 0 Watford 1 match report: Odion Ighalo continues to fire Hornets towards safety

Sunderland 0 Watford 1

Heurelho Gomes (Getty Images)

“I need something stronger than that,” were Sam Allardyce’s words when offered a bottle of water in the immediate aftermath of this defeat.

What he would give for the strength of the Hornets’ Troy Deeney, or the goals of Odion Ighalo, whose fourth-minute strike, his 10th of the season, ensured Watford won their fourth away game this season.

“They have two very good frontmen and that is why they are where they are,” he said. “They keep picking up points.

“We didn’t play very well in the first half. We had to change the system after 20 minutes because it wasn’t working. Players weren’t playing to their best.”

Quique Sanchez Flores, the Watford manager, has a different problem as he tries to keep his seventh-placed club grounded.

“We are pleased with where we are but the most important thing is not to relax,” he said. “I would like the players to enjoy their day off but for us the most important thing is to focus and keep working hard. Ighalo has been amazing over the year.”

Sam Allardyce (Getty Images)

Watford struck early and largely kept control. Less than four minutes into the game Allan Nyom crossed low from the right and Ighalo steered in through the legs of Costel Pantilimon. It looked as if the final touch had come from Sebastian Coates.

Six minutes later Ighalo had a shot cleared off the line by the same defender and a Jose Manuel Jurado effort struck a post. Watford were value for the lead and for their victory.

Sunderland rallied late on, after the crowd’s call for Jermain Defoe to come on had been heeded in the 71st minute. The striker came on for Steven Fletcher and twice went close.

He cut inside and had a low shot well saved by Pantilimon, before clipping a Patrick van Aanholt cross wide.

Sunderland: (5-4-1) Pantilimon; Yedlin (Rodwell, 19), Coates, O’Shea, Jones, Van Aanholt; Borini 5 (Johnson, 57), M’Vila, Toivonen, Watmore; Fletcher (Defoe, 71).

Watford: (4-4-2) Gomes; Nyom, Cathcart, Britos, Ake; Abdi (Guedioura, 68), Watson, Capoue, Jurado (Anya, 76); Ighalo, Deeney.

Referee: Graham Scott

Man of the match: Ighalo (Watford)

Match rating: 4/10