WATFORD 3, MANCHESTER UNITED 1
- Etienne Capoue opens the scoring for Watford in 34 minutes
- Anthony Martial injured and dispossessed in the build-up to Watford opener
- Paul Pogba hits the crossbar
- Marcus Rashford levels the game in the 62nd minute
- Substitute Juan Zuniga puts Watford back into the lead after 83 minutes – 53 seconds after coming on
- Troy Deeney’s injury time penalty caps a stunning win for Watford
There was a third consecutive competitive defeat for Jose Mourinho in the space of eight days and the Reds on-pitch demeanour resembled the worst days of Louis Van Gaal’s Reds reign last season as they went down to meek defeat at Watford.
United dominated possession, but static, ponderous build-up and a lack of ideas at the business end of the pitch cost the Reds in the end.
In contrast, Walter Mazzarri, as with the rest of Vicarage Road, went crazy at full time after two late goals sealed a first victory for Watford over United in 30 years after their physical aerial game paid off.
Etienne Capoue’s 34th minute opener served as due warning for United who were lucky not to be further behind after an opening blitz by the Hornets although Paul Pogba hit the crossbar with a 25-yard shot.
Only the fearless Marcus Rashford, who hauled United back into the game on 62 minutes, looked capable of rescuing something from the game.
But Watford continued to pose problems to United with this physical approach before substitute Juan Zuniga swept home from a set piece with seven minutes to go and Troy Deeney smashed in an injury time penalty to underline a deserved win for Watford.
Sweet victory over Jose Mourinho for Italian rival Walter Mazzarri
Victory would have been especially sweet for Watford manager Mazzarri who had been on the end of a fearsome rivalry with United boss Jose Mourinho when the pair were in Italy.
The pressure will now be truly on Mourinho after he said he would return to a “normal” team selection after the defeat at Feyenoord on Thursday.
In the end, the United boss made up his mind – Marcos Rojo, Matteo Darmian, Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and Morgan Schneiderlin were left out while Antonio Valencia, Luke Shaw, Marouane Fellaini, Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to the starting line-up.
Marcus Rashford and Chris Smalling retained their places in the team and made their first Premier League starts of the season.
United dominated early possession but a shot against the bar was their best chance in a first half which saw them come under aerial bombardment from their hosts.
Watford presented a physical challenge to United, never giving them time on the ball, and had three great early chances through Sebastian Prodl’s header which narrowly failed to reach Troy Deeney. Watford Captain Deeney head a header saved by David De Gea as the Hornets clearly opted for an aerial test for United.
And Odion Ighalo snatched at a chance to score into an open goal from 15 yards out, sending his shot wide, while his opposite number Zlatan Ibrahimovic was handed a great chance to score but also missed the target after Rashford delivered a great cross.
Paul Pogba missed early chance to score
Paul Pogba, who was otherwise anonymous again, came closest to taking the lead for United when his 25 yard strike struck the bar with Gomes unable to reach it, but it was Watford who finally scored the goal that their early attacking menace deserved.
Etienne Capoue scored his fourth goal in five games this season after Anthony Martial lost the ball and seemed to sustain a head injury in the process. He was caught in possession in the latest instalment of his battle with Darryl Janmaat and Miguel Britos, and Capoue capitalised after the Dutchman fed the ball into the area.
Ashley Young replaced the stricken Martial but the Reds continued to struggle until Watford were taken by surprise when Ibrahmovic sent in a chance which came off a Valon Behrami and was immediately smashed in by Rashford for an unlikely 62nd minute equaliser.
The home side were in deby to Huerlho Gomes when Marouane Fellaini cross found Ibrahimovic for a header that had the Brazilian diving to his right to keep the home side in it.
With less than 10 minutes to play, United went to sleep from a free kick and Nordin Amrabat’s delivery was fed back into the fray by Roberto Pereyra to substitute Juan Zuniga who put Watford back into the lead with seven minutes to go less than a minute after coming on.
Shell-shocked United lost their discipline after that and Rooney was booked for dissent before Zuniga was felled by Fellaini in the penalty area in the dying minutes.
United fans were already streaming out of Vicarage Road by the time Watford celebrated a famous win with a Troy Deeney penalty smashed down the middle deep into injury time.