Goals:
0-1: Hughes (19, peeled off his marker to side foot Zeegelaar’s cross beyond Elliot from just inside the area)
0-2: Yedlin OG (45, turned Zeegelaar’s cross into his own net when he stuck out a leg)
0-3: Gray (62, slid in at the back post to convert Richarlison’s deep cross)
Bookings: Shelvey (15, foul); Zeegelaar (24, foul)
Sending-off: None
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Manchester) – will have enjoyed this game because he had very little to do as the game progressed without major incident. 7
Attendance: 52,188
Entertainment: **
Newc Wat
Shots on 2 4
Shots off 10 8
Corners 6 3
Offsides 2 3
Fouls 8 13
NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-4-2):
4 Elliot: Beaten three times and only had a couple of other serious efforts to contend with;
4 Yedlin: All the goals came from down his side even if he should have had better support from Ritchie
5 Clark: Unable to get the backline organised and found Gray a tough man to handle
5 Lejeune: The same sort of afternoon as Clark in the middle and never really got to grips with the Hornets
5 Manquillo: Kept his side tighter than the left flank but that wasn’t too difficult;
4 Ritchie: A really disappointing performance by his own high standards and failed to help Yedlin enough
4 Diame: Failed to deal with the Hornets midfield and unable to impose himself on the play
4 Shelvey: Tried the Hollywood ball far too often and missed Hayden’s energy alongside him;
6 MURPHY: His energy and probing provided the threat from the home side in the first half but let down by his final ball;
4 Joselu: Wasted a couple of good chances and was the man the fans wanted off even if he did work hard enough
5 Gayle: Started promisingly but soon lost his way and was well marshalled by the visiting defence
Subs:
Merino (for Diame 69): Back in the mix without improving things. 4
Mitrovic (for Joselu 69): Arrived too late to change the game at 3-0 down. 5
Perez (for Murphy 77)
(not used): Darlow (gk), Gamez, Mbemba.
WATFORD (5-4-1): Gomes 7; Kiko 7, Mariappa 7, Kabasele 7, Britos 6 (Prodl 52, 5), ZEEGELAAR 8; Cleverley 6, Doucoure 8, Richarlison 7 (Pereyra 79), Hughes 7 (Carrillo 83); Gray 6. Subs (not sued): Janmaat, Watson, Capoue, Karnezis (gk).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Marvin Zeegelaar – caused Newcastle’s right hand side problems for the entire 90 minutes and he only faded late on because he was told to keep things tighter.
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