Watford vs Man City LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction
Follow all the latest updates as the champions visit Vicarage Road
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.
West Ham 2-2 Chelsea
77 mins: Good play from Chelsea, who sustain their attack through Hudson-Odoi on the left. It gets played back to Jorginho on the edge and he looks to side-foot a finish into the far corner, but it takes a touch and goes wide. From the corner, Dawson almost got caught as the ball landed at his feet but he was able to slide in to make a hasty clearance.
West Ham 2-2 Chelsea
75 mins: CHANCE! Brilliant from West Ham and Antonio. Fornals flips it around the corner and Antonio shrugs Rudiger off the ball before sliding it across the face, where Bowen was arriving at the back post. Bowen slid in to meet it but couldn’t direct it back across goal. The goal was gaping!
West Ham 2-2 Chelsea
72 mins: West Ham clear a Chelsea corner and look to spark a counter, but Mount gets back well to clear it into touch. Chelsea make their third change as Christian Pulisic replaces Alonso. Hudson-Odoi has gone out to the left wing.
West Ham 2-2 Chelsea
68 mins: Rudiger tries to slide the ball through to Lukaku beat Zouma sees that he doesn’t reach it and it runs out for a goal-kick.
Zouma then pulls up behind the by-line. That looks like a hamstring injury and could be another blow to West Ham. Pablo Fornals replaces him.
West Ham 2-2 Chelsea
66 mins: Save! Lovely play from Hudson-Odoi, who stands up Coufal on the edge of the box before slipping a tidy ball onto Mount. He doesn’t quite connect with the strike and it’s a comfortable save for Fabianski to make.
West Ham 2-2 Chelsea
63 mins: West Ham drop to defend the edge of their box and Chelsea for a moment looked to be a little short of ideas as they exchanged passes under little pressure. Antonio then conceded a needless foul as he raced back to pressure the ball - but James wastes the set-piece and his cross evades everyone.
Chelsea make their second change of the day as Hudson-Odoi replaces Ziyech, who couldn’t continue his good run of form today.
West Ham 2-2 Chelsea
61 mins: Mount finds a pocket of space down the right wing as he swaps positions with James - but Zouma is able to make the clearance at the front post with Lukaku waiting in behind.
West Ham 2-2 Chelsea
58 mins: Chelsea fly forward down the right and it leads to Lukaku almost controlling the ball inside the box - but Zouma steps in to guide it back towards Fabianski.
At the other end West Ham flight a free-kick towards the back post and Mendy is able to gather, a bit unconvincingly, at the second attempt.
GOAL! West Ham 2-2 Chelsea (BOWEN 55’)
Brilliant strike! It all gets a bit ragged on the edge of the Chelsea box, with Antonio battling Thiago Silva for the ball, and it pops up to Coufal, who pokes it on to Bowen just inside the box. The forward looks up before unleashing a lovely hit through Christensen’s legs - that might have unsighted Mendy slightly and the goalkeeper couldn’t get down to his right to make the stop.
West Ham 1-2 Chelsea
55 mins: Chance! Brilliant from Rudiger, who steals onto a loose ball in the West Ham midfield and surges forwards. He carries the ball about 40 yards before slipping in Ziyech on his left - but he slices the shot high and wide. Mount was in space on his right.
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