Watford have bemoaned their misfortune in recent weeks but here Marco Silva’s team were grateful for the unwitting assistance of Kasper Schmeichel as they fought back from a deficit to end a miserable series of results. The Leicester City goalkeeper turned a cross by Abdoulaye Doucouré into his own net in the 65th minute to complete Watford’s comeback after Molla Wagué had negated Riyad Mahrez’s opening goal for the visitors.
Silva was under pressure to find a solution to his team’s rotten form, which took root when the manager was courted by Everton last month. The Portuguese triggered the turnaround here, changing things when he made a first-half substitution that altered the course of the match.
Watford came into the game with a record of eight defeats from their previous 11 matches and initially it did not look as if Leicester would grant them any respite. The visitors were the sharper side for most of the first half and could have taken the lead through Jamie Vardy even before Mahrez scored. It was a splendid finish by the Algerian, who headed the ball beyond the reach of Heurelho Gomes from eight yards after a typically fine cross by Marc Albrighton. The fact that Mahrez was free in the box, as he had been on several previous occasions, highlighted the extent to which the hotchpotch home team were malfunctioning.
Silva, faced with a spate of injuries and suspensions on top of that dreadful run of results, had opted for a surprising formation in which Richarlison was deployed in an unfamiliar lone striker role. The home side struggled to find fluency, even though the Brazilian should have equalised within two minutes of Mahrez’s goal. André Carrillo, Watford’s most threatening player throughout, created the chance with a jagged run in from the left and a cute pass. The Brazilian dodged past Schmeichel but fired into the side-netting from a tight angle.
That chance did not fool Silva into thinking his original plan was working so he changed it, introducing Stefano Okaka when the ineffective Roberto Pereyra complained of a slight injury. Richarlison moved to the left and Watford immediately looked more comfortable. But it is unlikely that even Silva anticipated their breakthrough coming moments later through Wagué. The Mali international made a single start for Leicester while on loan last season, suffering a season-ending injury in February’s FA Cup defeat at Millwall.
That was one more than he had made before this match for Watford, whom he joined on loan from Udinese in the summer. He marked the occasion in unexpected style just before half-time, stabbing the ball into the net from close range after Richarlison’s shot from a corner was blocked by Wilfried Ndidi.
“He gave me everything I asked,” Silva said of Wagué, explaining he picked the Malian mainly because his speed would enable him to keep pace with Vardy. “He has been improving in the last weeks in training so now I gave him the chance and he answered well. It is a sign for everyone in the club that you always have to be ready.”
Watford underlined their transformation by almost scoring a second before the interval, but Richarlison blasted against a post after a flowing move.
Their vibrancy carried over into the second half but the adventure left them exposed to Leicester’s counterattacks. Gomes saved from Mahrez early in the second half and he should have been required to make another on the hour, but Albrighton attempted a pass rather than a shot after being sent clear. The pass was cut out. That misjudgment was soon compounded by Leicester’s defence.
A free-kick by Tom Cleverley was allowed to travel beyond the far post, where Doucouré hooked the ball back from the touchline. Schmeichel tried to block it at the near post but instead helped it over the line. Doucouré celebrated like a midfielder who had scored his seventh goal of his impressive campaign but the goalkeeper’s touch was decisive. Leicester have conceded more goals from set pieces than any other team in the Premier League this season.
“We need to correct this,” said Claude Puel, their manager. “We need good attention and have to focus on second balls and mark well. When you lose a game like this, it’s a big frustration.”
Leicester attempted to rescue a point but were thwarted by Gomes, who made two marvellous saves following Leicester corners, first from Wes Morgan and then from Leonardo Ulloa. “The way we reacted after going behind showed the personality and team spirit we have, and that must always stay,” Silva added.
