Watford vs Chelsea result: Frank Lampard’s side survive nervy finale to keep Hornets at bay

Watford 1-2 Chelsea: Kepa Arrizabalaga’s late save – the last touch of the game – denied Quique Sanchez Flores a point

(Getty)

In the end, Chelsea made it harder than it should have been. But in holding firm to the aerial bombardment and breaks of the ball in their box that littered in the dregs of this match, they showed there is grit among them. Of course, that view will have been obsolete had Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster scored with the penultimate touch of the match. The final, outright, came from Kepa Arrizabalaga’s left-hand to secure the 2-1 win.

For 80 minutes, Frank Lampard’s side had done everything right. They shifted well, particularly in the final third which allowed Tammy Abraham and Christian Pulisic to continue their respective scoring streaks. The Blues, for the time being at least, are sitting pretty in third after a fifth consecutive league win.

Typically, VAR had its say in awarding Watford a penalty which was duly “earned” and then dispatched by Gerard Deulofeu to elicit hope in the hosts and fear in the visitors for the final 10 minutes, plus stoppage time, of play. And as wild as last-minute goals from keepers are, this was the right result.

Chelsea’s lead came after just five minutes, the product of a sublime through-ball from Jorginho that made Watford’s two banks of four obsolete. A delectable pass whipped through with the perfect amount of inswing to arc into the path of Abraham’s run, which started almost as soon as Mason Mount had laid the ball off to the Italian. A favourable bounce made Abraham’s lifted finish that little bit easier but the delicate touch was exactly what you would expect from a striker with his numbers this season.

It was the 22-year-old’s ninth league goal. No one has more, and he perhaps should have moved ahead of Sergio Aguero and Jamie Vardy with his 10th when a lucky break of the ball had him one-on-one with Ben Foster. An attempted side-foot finish into the far corner was too close to the Watford stopper.

Were it not for Foster, this could have been done at half-time. Pulisic’s flicked near-post header was clawed away before another effort headed for the top corner, this time a powerful strike 20-yards out from Mount was tipped onto the right part of the underside of the bar to stay out.

Indeed, the positive effects of Foster’s interventions nearly manifested in an equaliser two minutes into the second-half when Gray was presented with a chance around the penalty spot. But for Kurt Zouma’s bravery, it could have been the perfect antidote to a restless home crowd. Eight minutes on, there was even less to cheer as Pulisic doubled Chelsea’s lead.

Tammy Abraham celebrates opening the scoring (Getty)

Abraham was the provider this time, slipped in by Willian who needed no prompts to take advantage of a large amount of space in front of Watford’s box. An immediate pull-back was tapped home for the American’s fourth goal in two games.

From then on, the only interruptions to songs from the away section were groans from the other three sides, with a change of tact on 75 minutes when a chant of “you don’t know what you’re doing” was aimed at Quique Sánchez Flores for the substitution of Kiko Femina on for Daryl Janmaat.

Players in yellow were chastised for dawdling or not showing the urgency they will need to emerge unscathed from this relegation scrap. The rest of the time, there was an eerie disquiet at a ground which brings the noise when the big boys are in town. Understandable when you consider Vicarage Road has now witnessed 10 winless league games in a row. One more would be an unwanted club record for this crop.

Christian Pulisic scores Chelsea’s second (Getty)

One crumb of comfort for Watford – a tiny one at that – will be the monkey off Delufoeu’s back. A first goal of this campaign has finally arrived with his 26th shot and maybe – just maybe – it can provide a boost for a player who looks devoid of the spark and cutting-edge that underpins his best qualities. A jink and left-foot strike just beyond the fast post on 39 minutes an indication the player that contributed 10 goals in 2018/19 and turned an FA Cup semi-final on its head is still in there somewhere. There was, however, another injury to contend with – centre-back Craig Cathcart suffering a suspected back spasm. He had to be replaced after just 20 minutes by Adrian Mariappa.

The Hornets now face fellow relegation-zone dwellers Norwich and Southampton in their next three matchweeks. It’s certainly not too soon to label both of those as six-pointers.