United Put Three Past Watford

Premier League: Manchester United 3-0 Watford

It was a great weekend for Manchester United as they put more pressure on Chelsea with a 3-0 win at home to Premier League strugglers Watford.

United came into the game on the back of a superb 2-0 win away at Chelsea who they are chasing for fourth place. Watford came into the fixture in the relegation zone after failing to win a game since their 3-0 win at Bournemouth on the 12th January. 

The hosts started the game slow and could’ve been behind after the opening minutes as Harry Maguire and Nemanja Matic got in each other's way as they attempted to mop up the danger. Instead, they created mayhem and Troy Deeney looked odds-on to shock Old Trafford. However, the Watford skipper took one extra touch and, as he shaped to pull the trigger, Luke Shaw stepped in with a timely block.

On the half-hour mark, Watford went close again as Abdoulaye Doucoure powered through and angled a shot at the near post but David De Gea saved brilliantly. 

In the 42nd minute, Old Trafford got their first glimpse of some attacking football as Bruno Fernandes was set through on goal and as he took the ball around Ben Foster the former England keeper brought him down for a penalty. The Portuguese man stepped up and bagged his first goal for United as he skipped the ball home from the spot. 

The goal ended a 236-minute wait for a United home goal in the Premier League after they had failed to score against Burnley and Wolves.

In the second half, Watford thought they were level as Deeney poked the ball home. However, VAR ruled that Craig Dawson had handled the ball in the build-up and the goal was chalked off. 

In the 58th minute, it was 2-0 as Fernandes sent through Anthony Martial. The Frenchman’s chance looked to have been stifled originally by Foster and the Watford defence but he recovered possession, spun and brilliantly lifted an audacious chip into the net. 

United finished the game as Mason Greenwood played a give and go with Fernandes in order to rifle a shot in off the crossbar and secure United a 3-0 win. 

That win lifts them up to fifth and more importantly 3 points off of Chelsea who occupy fourth spot.