Watford have defeated 10-man Burnley 2-1 at Vicarage Road to make it back-to-back Premier League wins and climb into the top half of the table.

First-half headers from Troy Deeney and M'Baye Niang helped the Hornets to a slender victory in the first top-flight meeting to be staged between the two sides at this ground.

Three days on from picking up a shock win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, Watford were able to put their previous poor run of form firmly behind them by moving into 10th place in the division.

Burnley were dealt a blow when Jeff Hendrick was shown a straight red card for his two-footed challenge on Jose Holebas, leaving them with an early mountain to climb as they went in search of just a second point on their travels this season.

Just moments later Deeney, on the scoresheet in North London in midweek, picked up from where he left off in that one by losing his man and nodding home from Niang's cross.

Niang then tested Tom Heaton with a fine attempt 22 minutes in and January recruit Mauro Zarate sent a tame shot down the middle soon after.

The closest Burnley came to a first-half leveller arrived just after the half-hour mark, as Joey Barton's free kick had to be helped over the bar by Heurelho Gomes.

Zarate and Niang both came close to adding a second for Watford prior to the interval, and that killer goal did arrive 44 minutes in through the latter's header across goal and into the corner.

Burnley were not willing to give up, though, and looked to muster a response through a Ben Mee header which was tipped wide by Gomes to keep his side's two-goal advantage intact.

Etienne Capoue and Deeney both nearly put the game out of reach, but the Englishman was brilliantly denied by countryman Heaton as the final quarter of the match arrived.

The visitors did get the lifeline they were after 78 minutes in, though, as a Sebastian Prodl handball inside the box allowed Ashley Barnes to step up and tuck away the resultant penalty.

There was still time for a late twist, which very nearly arrived as Robbie Brady fired a volley right down the middle and Barnes was thwarted in the third minute of added time by Gomes, but Watford did enough in the end to hold out for the points.