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| Watford gave their Premier League survival hopes a huge boost with a 3-0 home win over Aston Villa |
Birmingham fan Troy Deeney struck a brace to hand Watford a vital 3-0 win over relegation rivals Aston Villa at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
The Hornets skipper grabbed his first three minutes before half-time and added a second from the penalty spot in the 67th minute – 10 minutes after team-mate Adrian Mariappa had been sent off.
Ismaila Sarr scored a third not long after to make it back-to-back victories for Nigel Pearson at Vicarage Road and they are now three points from Premier League safety.
Villa boss Dean Smith endured a terrible afternoon in Hertfordshire and has major problems with this their fifth defeat from their last six league games.
Speaking after the final whistle, Deeney said: “Loved it. It’s been a whirlwind week. Getting our first win, having a baby and then going off to Sheffield United.
“The biggest key was unity. Everyone struggles over Christmas but we’ve done it with 10 men. This is one for the fans to see out this year.”
Elsewhere, striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin kept up his fine run of form as he scored twice to give Everton a 2-1 win at Newcastle United in a pulsating Premier League clash.
It was a second successive victory for Everton’s new manager Carlo Ancelotti, who made his debut at Goodison Park with a 1-0 win over Burnley on Thursday when Calvert-Lewin netted a late winner for the Toffees.
The 22-year old fired the visitors ahead in the 13th minute, sweeping the ball home from six metres after a deflected Gylfi Sigurdsson shot fell kindly for him.
Chances went begging at either end before Fabian Schar volleyed in a 59th-minute equaliser, firing past Jordan Pickford after Andy Carroll had headed a Jetro Willems free kick into the defender’s path.
Everton, whose lightning breaks kept carving open the home team’s defence all afternoon, struck again five minutes later when Calvert-Lewin bundled in Richarlison’s perfect low cross from the right.
Newcastle threw men forward in the closing stages but Everton held on to extend their unbeaten league run to five games, while the Magpies suffered their first home defeat in nine outings.
Striker Danny Ings meanwhile scored his 12th Premier League goal of the season to grab a point for Southampton as they came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Crystal Palace in their clash at the St. Mary’s Stadium.
REUTERS
