Four eternal and immutable rules of football die at Vicarage Road

Danny Ings scored twice in an easy Saints win at WatfordPhoto: premierleague.com

Watford 1 : 3 Southampton

There are some safe and eternal truths in football:

Safe teams tend to be more lethargic than those with something to play for
The home team is more aggressive
The side a goal down is more offensively minded than that defending a lead
The side coming off a pitiful loss has had the ‘hair drier’ treatment and will come out aggressively

All of these were turned on their head at Vicarage Road on Sunday when Southampton somewhat effortlessly continued their superb away record with a 3-1 win over a lacklustre Watford.

They were so dominant, they even had to score Watford’s goal for them in a bizarre twist on “shall we score a goal for you?”

Watford’s body language was wrong from the start.

Throughout the game, while Ralph Hasenhüttl continued yelling instructions from his area, Nigel Pearson spent most of it in close conversation with his deputy Craig Shakespeare almost as if, they were already discussing who to keep on for next season’s Championship campaign.

When a torrent of rain came down, many of the Watford squad moved back some rows to stay dry while the Southampton players stayed out at the pitchside seats to stay close to the active players.

Only Liverpool and Manchester City have more away wins than Southampton in the EPL but none will have been as easy as this one.

Southampton stand fifth in the EPL away table after June 28

An effervescent Danny Ings scored in each half at Watford, to take his season tally to 21 while James Ward-Prowse netted straight from a free kick, seconds after the unfortunate Jan Bednarek had put through his own net to give Watford some hope that was to last less long that their lingering hopes of underperforming in this division next year.

Both sides made changes from their midweek losses.

From the pitiful loss at Burnley, Craig Cathcart, Abdoulaye Coucoure and Roberto Perreyra replaced Christian Kabasele, Tom Cleverly and Danny Welbeck while Gerard Deulofeu (cruciate ligament) who is now back in Barcelona, Daryl Janmaat (knee) and Isaac Success (Achilles) were nursing longer term injuries.

Andre Gray, Nathaniel Chalobah and Domingos Quina were omitted from the squad entirely following amid breaches of the club’s lockdown rules.

For Southampton, Hasenhüttl promised changes and dropped Yan Valery, Stuart Armstrong and Michael Obafemi while Jack Stephens was suspended. Midfielders Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Sofiane Boufal missed the fitness deadline.

In came Jannik Vestergaard, Kyle Walker-Peters, Oriol Romeu, Will Smallbone and Shane Long. All performed well.

Watford’s main threat is winger Ismaila Sarr but he was superbly patrolled by Ryan Bertrand who looked every inch an international player.

Ings’ goals were trademarks of an on form finisher in his only real chances of the game; a drilled shot from the edge of the box; and the second superbly placed as he finished from an angle. He moved into joint second place in the Premier League Golden Boot race, dropping a shoulder to elude Cathcart and rolled a 20-yard strike into the bottom corner past Foster.

Watford’s consolation came during their best spell in the second half. Substitute José Holebas whipped in a dangerous cross from the left aimed for Danny Welbeck. Bednarek intervened but could only direct the ball beyond a wrong footed Alex McCarthy at the near post.

Premier League: Ings closing in on Vardy for Golden Boot

Ward-Prowse’s excellent free-kick soon put paid to the meagre hope Bednarerk’s own goal had given the hosts.

Watford might have had a penalty when Bertrand used illegal means to tug Sarr’s shirt in the box, prompting Sarr to stop perhaps too readily and referee Michael Oliver to consult VAR. Chris Kavanagh and Sian Massey-Ellis in VAR land ruled no foul with the help of their replays.

Che Adams and Nathan Redmond both nearly made it four, Foster and the post denying them in the closing minutes.

Only Liverpool and Man City have won more Premier League away games this season than Hasenhüttl’s team, who climb to 13th and are now just two points off a place in the top half.

Referee: Michael Oliver.
Assistants: Stuart Burt, Daniel Cook. Fourth official: Kevin Friend.
Replacement official: Daniel Leach.
VAR: Chris Kavanagh. Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis.