Watford 2-1 Leicester: Andre Gray strikes late to hand Brendan Rodgers defeat in first game in charge

Watford 2-1 Leicester: Jamie Vardy had equalised for the Foxes after Troy Deeney's opener but the Hornets won it in stoppage time

Brendan Rodgers named Leicester City manager

Brendan Rodgers suffered disappointment on his Premier League return as his first game in charge of Leicester ended in a 2-1 defeat at Watford after Andre Gray’s injury-time winner.

Rodgers is back in England’s top flight for the first time since October 2015 when he was sacked at Liverpool following his appointment as Claude Puel’s replacement earlier this week.

And it looked like being a respectable start to his Foxes reign as Jamie Vardy’s 10th goal of the season cancelled out Troy Deeney’s early header.

But the game ended in the same way as it started as Gray struck in the closing moments to inflict an opening defeat on Rodgers and deliver a fourth win from five for the Hornets.

Rodgers will now eye his first win next Saturday with a home game against Fulham.

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Key Points

• Troy Deeney put the Hornets ahead 
• Jamie Vardy equalised for the Foxes 
• But Andre Gray denied Brendan Rodgers a point in his first game with a late winner

[3 March 2019 12:09 · Kishan Vaghela]

9 min: Watford 1-0 Leicester City

Leicester look incredibly vulnerable at the back so far again, and this time it is Pereyra who is played through but Schmeichel is out quickly to clear.

A sluggish start from the Foxes if we're being honest here.

[3 March 2019 12:12 · Kishan Vaghela]

12 min: Watford 1-0 Leicester City

Good reaction from the visitors though.

Barnes has got into some decent position in the box after some lackluster Watford defending, but they have managed to shut the door just the time. 

[3 March 2019 12:13 · Kishan Vaghela]

First blood to Deeney. 

[3 March 2019 12:15 · Kishan Vaghela]

  ↵15 min: Watford 1-0 Leicester City

Jamie Vardy has been in the wars the last couple of minutes.

He is brought down for a free-kick by Adrian Mariappa following a poor touch from the Watford man.

The resulting free-kick is cheekily chipped in by Maddison into the forward's path, but Ben Foster comes out and clears but collides with him and both are down receiving treatment for facial injuries.

[3 March 2019 12:17 · Kishan Vaghela]

Deeney's fourth goal in 17 against Leicester City.

[3 March 2019 12:19 · Kishan Vaghela]

19 min: Watford 1-0 Leicester City

That's a big chance for Barnes.

An excellent crossfield switch from Tielemans finds Chilwell, who first time plays an accurate low ball into the box.

It finds Barnes but he cannot sort his feet out and it goes harmlessly out for a goal kick. 

[3 March 2019 12:23 · Kishan Vaghela]

23 min: Watford 1-0 Leicester City

Both players have been able to continue, but here is that collision between the two.

It's been similarly as tenacious on the rest of the pitch as Leicester are really starting to fight their way back into the match.

[3 March 2019 12:26 · Kishan Vaghela]

Another partnership brewing nicely at Vicarage Road

[3 March 2019 12:30 · Kishan Vaghela]

30 min: Watford 1-0 Leicester City

Another sighting of Antonio Conte in the stands with glasses that make him look more like a civil servant than someone who led Chelsea to a league title.

He does look smart though, more tidy than some of the play on the field right now, with loud jeers coming from the crowd after some misplaced passes from the visitors.

[3 March 2019 12:33 · Kishan Vaghela]

33 min: Watford 1-0 Leicester City

Deulofey looks to join his striking partner in scoring today, and after swiftly cutting inside from the left he fires at goal, but the shot is straight at Schmeichel.

The Hornets seem to have staved off the Leicester fightback for now.