Troy Deeney scored his first Premier League goal from open play this season to snatch Watford a late 1-0 win over Everton at Vicarage Road this evening.
The visitors came close to an early goal when Hornets goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis tipped onto the post from Oumar Niasse's hopeful drive across the danger zone.
There were few other chances of note in the first hour, but a double switch from Watford manager Javi Gracia changed the game and set up a crucial victory which lifts his side six points clear of the drop zone.
Substitutes Kiko Femenia and Stefano Okaka combined to feed Deeney, whose swivel and shot from 15 yards out on 80 minutes left Jordan Pickford with no chance.
Relive how the action unfolded with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates.
These two sides produced one of the games of the season when they met at Goodison Park and November as Everton came from two goals down to win 3-2 in stoppage time. A lot has changed at both Watford and Everton in the last three months, but let's hope today's reverse fixture is just as good!
The most significant of those changes have come in the respective dugouts, where Javi Gracia has recently replaced Marco Silva, whose failure to secure a move to Everton opened the door for Sam Allardyce to take the reins from caretaker David Unsworth. How have the managers lined up this evening?
WATFORD: Karnezis; Janmaat, Mariappa, Prodl, Holebas; Doucoure, Capoue; Deulofeu, Pereyra, Richarlison; Deeney
Subs: Gomes, Britos, Femenia, Zeegelaar, Carrillo, Gray, Okaka
Subs: Gomes, Britos, Femenia, Zeegelaar, Carrillo, Gray, Okaka
EVERTON: Pickford; Kenny, Williams, Keane, Martina; Davies, Gueye, Rooney; Walcott, Sigurdsson, Niasse
Subs: Robles, Holgate, Garbutt, Schneiderlin, Bolasie, Tosun, Calvert-Lewin
Subs: Robles, Holgate, Garbutt, Schneiderlin, Bolasie, Tosun, Calvert-Lewin
The hosts make just the one change from the team which lost 2-0 to West Ham United in their last outing, which was over a fortnight ago, as Roberto Pereyra comes in for Marvin Zeegelaar, a change which will likely see Watford revert to a flat back four.
Former Everton favourite Gerard Deulofeu starts for the Hornets, hoping to continue his promising form since joining on loan from Barcelona. The Spanish winger made 75 appearances over two spells with the Toffees, scoring eight goals and providing 19 assists.
Heurelho Gomes is back in the Watford squad after injury but Orestis Karnezis keeps his place in goal ahead of the club's long-standing number one. Kiko Femenia and Stefano Okaka are also on the bench.
However, Younes Kaboul, Christian Kabasele, Tom Cleverley and Nathaniel Chalobah are all still sidelined for the Hornets who have been hit badly by injuries, particularly in defence this season. Miguel Britos and Will Hughes are back in training but are not yet match fit, according to Gracia.
Everton have also had the luxury of a two-week break because of their FA Cup exit at the hands of Liverpool. Thet should be well rested but are without loan signing Eliaquim Mangala, who is out for the season with a knee injury and Seamus Coleman, whose schedule is being managed after long-term injury.
Ashley Williams and Jonjoe Kenny, who were both brought on at half time in the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace, are recalled to the starting lineup while young left-back Luke Garbutt is drafted in as a substitute to provide defensive cover, with Leighton Baines still nursing a hamstring problem.
All three of the goalscorers against Palace - Gylfi Sigurdsson, Tom Davies and Oumar Niasse - retain their places for the Toffees as big-money signing Cenk Tosun and Morgan Schneiderlin have to make do with places on the bench yet again. Yannick Bolasie is also in reserve for Everton.
Birthday boy Kabasele wants three points as a present but will have to watch from the stands.
Thank you and give me the 3 points as gift 🤙🏾🤙🏾💛🐝 #COYH https://t.co/zeJ4TbmznA — Christian Kabasele (@chriskabasele27) February 24, 2018
The Belgian defender was a scorer on Merseyside in November when Watford opening up a two goal lead only to be pegged back by three Everton goals in the final 23 minutes. A Jordan Pickford penalty save at 3-2 Everton in stoppage time added to the drama.
That defeat at Goodison was the last time that Richarlison scored for the Hornets - 17 games ago. The summer signing is on the sort of barren run that is likely to detract potential suitors who were admiring his early-season form, so not all bad news for Watford.
Abdoulaye Doucoure is another Watford player who has been linked with a move up the Premier League. Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have been tipped as possible destinations so it will be interesting to see how the French midfielder fares this evening.
Up against Doucoure tonight will be Wayne Rooney, who has made the move backwards into midfield that many expected him to do in the latter stages of his career. Allardyce feels that he is too similar to Gylfi Sigurdsson for both to be in his three-man attack.
RESULTS: Here is how it ended in today's 3.00pm Premier League kickoffs - Stoke City and Leicester City earlier shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at the King Power Stadium this lunchtime.
Bournemouth 2-2 Newcastle
Brighton 4-1 Swansea
Burnley 1-1 Southampton
Liverpool 4-1 West Ham
West Brom 1-2 Huddersfield
Those results leave Watford within three points of the relegation zone, so although there are six places between them and the bottom three, the Hornets cannot afford to put their flip flops on yet.
Javi Gracia may be looking upwards at ninth-place Everton, whom they can hook into to within one point with victory this evening. The Toffees can move level on points with Burnley in seventh with three points today, after Manolo Gabbiadini's late equaliser for Southampton at Turf Moor.
Watford are looking to win consecutive home Premier League games for the first time since April 2017, when they strung three together to knock off Sunderland, Swansea and West Brom.
To rediscover that consistency, Watford are going to have to tighten up at the back. They have conceded 47 league goals this season, which is second only to Stoke when it comes to the worst defensive records. They have only kept one clean sheet in their previous 14 top-flight matches.
Considering their leaky defence, it is little surprise to learn that Watford have lost four matches in the Premier League from leading positions this season, which is more than any other team.
On the flip side, Everton have earned a league-high 13 points from losing positions so far this season, including three against Watford when the once-exiled Oumar Niasse inspired a terrific comeback.
Speaking of Niasse, a fair few Fantasy Football managers have put their faith in him today.
SCOUT: Niasse (£4.9m) is the fourth most transferred in player (152,835) for GW28. Crucially, the Toffees are one of eight teams currently guaranteed to play in GW31#FPL #WATEVE pic.twitter.com/FiOFNHjL9o — Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) February 24, 2018
If Luke Garbutt comes off the bench today, he will become the 30th player used by Everton in the Premier League this season. As it stands, the 29 players fielded by the Toffees is the joint most, alongside today's opponents. The two clubs have also had five managers between them.
Everton have won just one of their last 21 Premier League away games, losing 11 of those including the last three in a row. Victory at Newcastle in December is their only league victory on their travels this term.
The Blues have conceded nine goals across their last two away matches. Concede four today - not implausible considering the high-scoring nature of this fixture and Everton's recent defensive problems - and they will have done so for three away games in a row, last doing that in February 1961.
HEAD TO HEAD: Everton have lost just two of their last 24 matches against the Hornets in all competitions, winning a whopping 19 of those. Watford's only victory in nine Premier League meetings came at Vicarage Road in December 2016 - another 3-2 thriller.
The one-time Everton player now wearing Watford yellow is today's cover star at Vicarage Road.
Deulofeu: "It will be an emotional game for me because #efc is in my heart" #WATEVE pic.twitter.com/UZ1leu353z
— Paul Brown (@pbsportswriter) February 24, 2018
PREDICTION: I'm expecting another goal glut between these sides today as neither are defensively adept enough to keep the other out. It might have a bit of spice to it as well, considering the Marco Silva saga, so I am going to go for an entertaining 2-2 draw.
KICKOFF: Watford get the game underway at Vicarage Road with both sides in their traditional colours...
Deulofeu has an early opportunity to run at Martina but the oft-criticised Everton defender stands up to his first test well. That will be an area that Watford will undoubtedly target this evening.
Rooney floats a beautiful cross to the back post from an Everton free kick and Orestis Karnezis wanders off his line but gets nowhere near the ball, which bounces off Niasse and to safety.
Doucoure will be hoping that the Liverpool scouts haven't tuned in yet, as they would just have seen him blaze a shot into row Z from a training-ground corner routine. Deulofeu, who won the set piece with some nice footwork, had pulled it back to the midfielder on the edge of the box.
Walcott wastes a good crossing opportunity by hitting the first man, which is indicative of Everton's sloppy start in possession. Watford are spreading the play a little better, not afraid to go direct.
Davies spins away from Capoue nicely on the halfway line but his next touch is too heavy and Prodl steps out to thwart a promising Everton attack. Walcott had made a decent run to the right.
WOODWORK! Niasse drives to the left byline and his cross-cum shot is tipped onto the post and behind for a corner by Karnezis, who was nearly caught out by the hit and hope there.
Sigurdsson gets a shot away from the edge of the box but the left-footed effort was weak and straight at Karnezis. The return pass from Davies was not the ideal layoff for the Icelander who we know is as good as anyone in the division from that sort of range, on either foot.
Rooney is certainly not afraid of doing the defensive work required of a midfielder - he never was as a striker in fairness - and shows good awareness to follow the run of Pererya and cut off the danger.
He's not the quickest, as Allardyce has made quite clear, but Sigurdsson shows enough pace to get past Janmaat on the left and stand up a cross towards Walcott at the back post, where Holebas was on hand to make an important clearing header, and take a clattering for his troubles.
After a bright start, Deulofeu has struggled to find space in the last 10 minutes, and Richarlison likewise on the other flank. Troy Deeney has to do a bit more to occupy Everton's defenders because at the moment he simply isn't involved in the game.
Midway through this first half and there is little to suggest that this will be the goal feast promised by recent fixtures, and my optimistic prediction. As it stands, the two teams are cancelling each other out and vying for control of proceedings.
After seeing his initial cross blocked, Walcott cushions a header into the path of Rooney to meet the ball 20 yards out, but Capoue recovers really well to pinch the ball from the former England captain before he can get his shot away.
Michael Keane goes in hard on Doucoure and catches the midfielder on his follow through, after taking the ball first. Deeney jumps on Anthony Taylor asking for the first booking of the game but the referee sensibly keeps his cards in his pocket.
No arguments about this tackle from Rooney, which brings to an end a dangerous Deulofeu dribble. Perfectly timed by the Everton man, whose defensive work has overshadowed his attacking contribution so far, and that is a pretty accurate indictment of the game.
Both defences are standing firm here. Mariappa clears a Sigurdsson cross off the head of Niasse at the near post, and Keane is equally well positioned to intercept Deulofeu's low cross.
The ball breaks to Capoue 20 yards out but his high shot was never troubling Pickford, who has been unworked so far 33 minutes into his 28th successive league start for Everton. At this stage against Arsenal a few weeks back he had already let three in.
A foul by Gueye on Richarlison 25 yards out to the right of left of goal gives Watford a decent free-kick opportunity. Richarlison's neck collided horribly with his own teammate Deeney in the aftermath of the challenge but seems to be unscathed.
Deulofeu's effort from the set piece is weak and hits the wall halfway up. There has been a real lack of quality at both ends in this first half and hopefully that will improve after the break.
There is a brief stoppage in play as Niasse is checked over following a blow to the head. Cenk Tosun trots along the touchline but the medical staff have given Niasse the thumbs up to continue.
Richarlison feeds Deeney on the overlap but Williams is on hand to cut out the cross. Deeney has not asked enough questions of the Everton defence and could do with some company in the second half. Pererya has not got up in support enough so Gracia may want to consider Andre Gray.
Davies has been one of the few bright lights of this uneventful half of football. The young midfielder has shown some nice touches and made good runs forward, even if he hasn't been picked out.
Pickford is off his line quickly to sweep up on the edge of his box, after Deulofeu had made a good run over the top. The Everton goalkeeper then nearly releases Niasse with a deliberate clearance, only for the offside flag to go up.
HALF TIME: WATFORD 0-0 EVERTON
The hashtag for the Watford vs Everton game sums up how I feel about it. #WATEVE — 1886 (@1886_blog) February 24, 2018
Sadly that tweet quite accurately summarises the opening 45 minutes at Vicarage Road. It has been a bit of a nothing game so far, disappointing considering the end-to-end contests that Everton and Watford have put on in recent seasons.
The closest that we came to a goal was when Karnezis tipped the ball onto the post after Niasse drove it across goal from a tight angle. It may have been a shot, or a miscued cross from the Senegalese but either way it is the only time the deadlock has been threatened.
I can understand Everton wanting to bed themselves into the game, having been so open in their last two away matches, but Watford have looked equally casual and uninspired in attack, a long way away from the team which put four past Chelsea earlier this month.
LATEST: Should you have little faith in things to improve in the second half here, you could always move over to our coverage of the Championship game between Fulham and leaders Wolves, where Ryan Sessegnon has added another couple of million to his price tag with the opening goal.
BENCH WATCH: Sam Allardyce may wait another 20 minutes before he looks at somebody like Yannick Bolasie to give Everton some late impetus. Gracia needs to make changes sooner than that, and partnering Deeney with Andre Gray would be a start.
KICKOFF: The 'action' is back underway, with both sides unchanged for the second half.
CHANCE! A half-chance, by the first-half standards at least, as Deulofeu delivers a wicked corner from which Prodl gets up the highest (he does have a head start on most of his opponents). The Austrian rose a little too early though and his header was high over the crossbar.
Nice move from Everton as Rooney switches the play to Walcott, whose first-time pass is perfectly into the path of Davies but his run from midfield is checked by Mariappa at the expense of a corner.
CHANCE! A decent opening at the other end now as Keane heads just wide from Gueye's cross, having stayed up from a set piece. The defender may have been caught in two minds, as Davies was lurking for a knockdown and was pretty close to getting on the end of it.
YELLOW! Walcott is coming into the game in this second half and is too quick for Capoue on this occasion, or any occasion for that matter. The Frenchman hacks him down and gets a caution.
SUBSTITUTION: Gracia has not wasted any time in making changes, hauling off Richarlison and Pereya, who have both been ineffective in attack, for Okaka and Kiko Femenia, which could mean a return to a back five. Allardyce responds by swapping Niasse for Tosun up top.
This match is starting to open up a little. Just prior to the substitution, Deulofeu had worked space for a cross which Deeney headed towards the top corner, albeit a simple catch for Pickford.
Tosun is too strong for Deulofeu, fairly knocking him off the ball on the right edge of the Watford box. The cutback is too strong as well though and Sigurdsson can't bring it under control.
SUBSTITUTION: Gracia is forced into his third and final change a little earlier than he may have liked, with Deulofeu rolling his ankle after taking a tumble under Tosun's challenge, and being replaced by Andre Carrillo. Another disappointing afternoon for Andre Gray, rooted to the bench.
YELLOW! Gueye is booked for a foul on Okaka, bringing him down after losing a battle of strength.
Okaka is already causing more problems that Richarlison did and he has the pace to get beyond Williams in behind, but Pickford collects the long ball and keeps his cool to clear upfield.
SHOT! Tosun wins a knockdown to Rooney but the bounce of the ball makes the first-time shot from 20 yards very difficult, and the Everton skipper can't keep it down.
Okaka gets the better of Williams again and spreads the play wide to Femenia, however his cross is too deep and even when Carrillo recyles play, Everton regroup and clear the danger.
Walcott starts 10 yards behind Prodl in a foot race from a hopeful punt forward and the Austrian only just gets to the ball first to prevent the former Arsenal man from going clear on goal.
The hosts waste a promising three-on-three break as Doucoure is tackled while trying something elaborate 30 yards from goal, when he had Okaka making a good run into the box to his left.
Showing he is not just brute force, Okaka flicks the ball around the corner to set up Femenia for a cross which is too far ahead of Deeney. Again a lack of quailty is hampering both teams.
A better delivery this time from Femenia, but Williams heads clear from the six-yard box. The ball drops to Capoue who has a swing on his weaker left foot, slicing a shot high and wide.
SAVE! Best chance of the game by far as Pickford's awful clearance hits Deeney and falls to Femenia. The Everton keeper makes amends by pushing away a powerful low shot, but Deeney is furious that he was not squared the ball by the Spanish substitute.
GOAL! WATFORD 1-0 EVERTON (TROY DEENEY)
Watford's captain is not furious anymore, because he has just set his side on their way to three points! Femenia this time does pick the right pass, out wide to Okaka who feeds Deeney to spin and shoots emphatically past Pickford from 15 yards.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Allardyce responds with a double change, calling for both Bolasie and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but surprisingly it is Sigurdsson and Rooney who make way.
With Femenia and Okaka playing a role in the goal, Gracia's changes may win this game for Watford, but Allardyce's substitutions have to be questioned. Bringing off his two most creative players and likely scorers - Sigurdsson and Rooney - when his side needs a goal is pretty baffling.
SAVE! And as a result, Everton have been unthreatening since going behind. Watford meanwhile nearly go two up as Okaka turns Keane skilfully and unleashes a thunderous shot which Pickford pushes away.
YELLOW! Janmaat goes into the book for time-wasting but Watford don't really need to play those games with Everton having shown no response to Deeney's likely winning goal.
There will be THREE minutes of stoppage time for Watford to see out, and still they look as though they will do that relatively comfortably, to secure back-to-back home wins under Javi Gracia.
Walcott wins Everton a late corner and Pickford is on his way up. Last throw of the dice...
CLOSE! Pickford does win the header, and it takes a couple of deflections before Karnezis dives on the ball ahead of Tosun.
FULL TIME: WATFORD 1-0 EVERTON
Pickford cannot be the late hero, as he was in the reverse fixture as Watford hold on for three vital points which move them six points clear of the relegation zone, and to without a point of Everton in ninth. A slog of a game, settled by a thunderous Troy Deeney goal 10 minutes from time.
It may not have been a classic, but our match report from Vicarage Road is still worth a read. That's it from me, but remember to rejoin Sports Mole tomorrow for coverage of two big Premier League games - Crystal Palace vs. Spurs and Manchester United against Chelsea, and the EFL Cup final between Manchester City and Arsenal. An excuse to be with us all day! Until then, goodbye!
