Watford vs Chelsea LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight
Relive all the action as the Premier League leaders visited Claudio Ranieri’s side at Vicarage Road
Chelsea maintained their lead at the top of the Premier League as Hakim Ziyech came off the bench to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Watford on Wednesday.
Thomas Tuchel’s side were not at their best at Vicarage Road but had enough attacking quality to emerge with three important points and stay ahead of Manchester City and Liverpool.
After a 32-minute suspension while a fan was treated for a medical emergency, Chelsea took the lead when Mason Mount coolly converted after a well-worked move in the 29th minute.
But Watford deservedly levelled before the break through Nigerian Emmanuel Dennis.
Ziyech came on for injured defender Trevoh Chalobah on the hour and struck the winner 12 minutes later with the outstanding Mount turning provider.
Chelsea lead the standings with 33 points from 14 games, with City on 32 and Liverpool on 31.
Claudio Ranieri’s side will take heart from the way they pushed the league leaders but are just one place and three points above the relegation zone.
Tuchel made six changes from the side that drew with Manchester United at the weekend and Chelsea looked disjointed for much of the evening.
Watford were the better team either side of the suspension but fell behind to Chelsea’s first move of quality.
The ball was played to Marcos Alonso down the left and he slipped the ball into Kai Havertz who shifted it across to the unmarked Mount who had time to pick his spot.
Watford responded well and equalised when Moussa Sissoko powered forward and played in Dennis whose shot took a deflection on its way past Edouard Mendy.
The hosts could have been ahead with Mendy making a fine save and Sissoko scuffing a decent opportunity.
The quality on Chelsea’s bench eventually told, however, as Ziyech came on to secure the points.
Mount was played into space down the left and his low cross was met by Ziyech whose powerful first-time shot beat Watford keeper Daniel Bachmann for pace.
Watford 1-1 Chelsea
49 mins: CLOSE! Good start to the second half from Chelsea. They fly forward through Havertz, who tees up Pulisic. Watford get back well and he is crowded out before Mount sees his shot blocked.
KICK-OFF! Watford 1-1 Chelsea
Saul Niguez is removed by Tuchel at the break, with Thiago Silva replacing him.
Both of Saul’s Premier Legaue starts have now ended in being taken off at half-time. Ouch.
Half time: Watford 1-1 Chelsea
It looks like Thiago Silva could be coming on for Chelsea at the break. There are a number of contenders to be Tuchel’s first substitute, given how poorly they have played at times. They’ve badly missed Reece James on the right wing while the midfield duo of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Saul Niguez has been overran.
HALF-TIME! Watford 1-1 Chelsea
David Coots bring the first half to an end at Vicarage Road, almost an hour and a half after it kicked off.
Play was stopped for an medical emergency in the crowd but the fan was thankfully stabilised before being taken to hospital.
On the pitch, Chelsea took the lead through Mason Mount despite getting off to a sloppy start. The Premier League leaders had looked disjointed but Mount finished off a fine move to give them the lead against the run of play.
It didn’t take long for Watford to hit back. It was a fourth goal in five Premier League games from the in-form Emmanuel Dennis that brought them level and it sets us up nicely ahead of the second half.
Watford 1-1 Chelsea
49 mins: Ekong clatters into Mount with a robust challenge outside the box. The Watford defender is booked and Mount hobbles away after picking himself up.
Alonso’s free kick is headed clear.
Watford 1-1 Chelsea
48 mins: CHANCE! Watford look rampant and they should be ahead before half-time! Dennis is again involved and the ball is slipped through to Sissoko, who beats the Chelsea line. He just has Mendy to beat from inside the area but he scuffs his shot as he looks to strike across goal, and it’s a comfortable save. But what a chance!
Watford 1-1 Chelsea
47 mins: Watford earn a free kick on the right edge of the box, with Alonso booked for the foul. The hosts look to slide it across to Rose outside the ‘D’ but his shot is blocked.
We’re into five minutes of time added on.
GOAL! Watford 1-1 Chelsea (DENNIS 43’)
Watford are back in it, and it’s no less than what they deserve! Dennis continues his fine form as he beats Mendy from inside the box, after shifting the ball away from the challenge of Rudiger. The goal came after Loftus-Cheek lost the ball in midfield, with Sissoko powering clear before sliding the ball through. Great goal, and we’re level!
Watford 0-1 Chelsea
40 mins: Both players are back on the pitch and play resumes. Even though the clock was stopped during the medical emergency earlier in the half, there has still been several breaks of play to deal with injuries, so we should still have plenty of added time.
Watford 0-1 Chelsea
40 mins: Both players are back on the pitch and play resumes. Even though the clock was stopped during the medical emergency earlier in the half, there has still been several breaks of play to deal with injuries, so we should still have plenty of added time.
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