Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Liveupdated

Watford vs Man City LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction

Follow all the latest updates as the champions visit Vicarage Road

Sarah Rendell
Saturday 04 December 2021 19:54 GMT
Comments
(AFP via Getty Images)

A potentially pivotal day in the title race, which began in east London before late drama at Wolverhampton, ended with Manchester City fans singing “We are top of the league” into the cold evening air at Vicarage Road. Chelsea’s defeat at West Ham opened the door and City swaggered through with a dominant 3-1 win over Watford, most notable for the joyful brilliance of Bernardo Silva.

If Mohamed Salah is the early frontrunner for the Premier League’s player of the season, Bernardo is his nearest rival making a concerted charge. The Portuguese scored two sublime goals here, the first exhibiting his delicate touch in tight spaces, the second showing off the accuracy of his unerring left foot. City rarely rely on the gift of a single star but sometimes one comes to the fore – think of Kevin De Bruyne in 19/20, or Ilkay Gundogan last season – and this feels unequivocally like the year of Bernardo.

Follow all the latest rection below to Man City’s win at Watford.

FULL TIME! West Ham 3-2 Chelsea

What a game, what a scoreline! The leaders have been defeated!

It’s a remarkable comeback from West Ham as Chelsea suffer their second loss of the Premier League season.

It was a freakish goal that won it for the Hammers but that is not taking away from a stunning atmosphere at the London Stadium.

Jamie Braidwood4 December 2021 14:25

West Ham 3-2 Chelsea

90+3 mins: Masuaku thunders the ball clear and releases Antonio, who is clipped by Christensen. West Ham are almost there, somehow.

Jamie Braidwood4 December 2021 14:24

West Ham 3-2 Chelsea

90+1 mins: We’re into four minutes of added time as the Premier League leaders look for a late winner - James catches Soucek as he looked to cross the ball from the by-line, and that gives West Ham a free-kick to run the clock down.

Jamie Braidwood4 December 2021 14:22

West Ham 3-2 Chelsea

89 mins: CHANCE! It should be all over! Antonio slips in Bowen, who opens his body and looks to curl the ball into the top corner - but he gets under it and lifts the shot over the bar!

Jamie Braidwood4 December 2021 14:20

GOAL! West Ham 3-2 Chelsea (MASUAKU 87’)

Would you believe it! It’s a strange, freakish goal, but West Ham won’t complain! The Hammers took a quick throw in down the left and Masuaku found himself in space on the corner of the box. He looks like he’s about to cross it into the middle, but the ball flies off his boot with top-spin and dip and it somehow beats Mendy at his near post!

Jamie Braidwood4 December 2021 14:17

West Ham 2-2 Chelsea

86 mins: A lovely touch from Bowen away from Rudiger and Silva works him a yard a space, but his cross back towards Antonio was over his head.

Fornals then looks to bend a ball through to Antonio but Christensen clears.

Jamie Braidwood4 December 2021 14:17

West Ham 2-2 Chelsea

84 mins: Coufal makes a good run on the outside of Hudson-Odoi, who slips. Bowen was waiting in the middle but Hudson-Odoi did well to recover and make the block after Coufal cut back inside.

West Ham make their final change as Said Benrahma replaces Lanzini.

Jamie Braidwood4 December 2021 14:16

West Ham 2-2 Chelsea

83 mins: Chelsea’s tempo in the past five minutes has been impressive - but the final ball is just evading them. Loftus-Cheek fires a ball into Mount in the channel but Diop is able to get across and shield it out.

Jamie Braidwood4 December 2021 14:14

West Ham 2-2 Chelsea

81 mins: Loftus-Cheek steps forward to launch Chelsea’s next attack before Hudson-Odoi’s cut-back to Lukaku is thrashed clear.

Jamie Braidwood4 December 2021 14:12

West Ham 2-2 Chelsea

80 mins: West Ham have lost a bit of their momentum after dropping so deep and it’s wave after waves of Chelsea attacks now. Mount feints in the box to slip away from Dawson but Coufal clears up. West Ham are standing firm defensively but their fans want to see them go for the win.

Jamie Braidwood4 December 2021 14:11

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in