EPL: Southampton 0-2 Watford

Daryl Janmaat of Watford celebrates

Watford ground out an industrial 2-0 win away at Southampton thanks to superb strikes from Abdoulaye Doucoure and substitute Daryl Janmaat to maintain coach Marco Silva's unbeaten start to the season.

It took a driven volley from the French midfielder which skipped off the turf and beyond Fraser Forster to break the deadlock late in the first half (38), as Saints struggled to find any rhythm in the face of the visitors' energetic pressing game.

Janmaat crashed in a finely-taken second (66) for the visitors with Forster perhaps slow to react to his low drive, as Southampton took until stoppage time to register a meaningful effort on Heurelho Gomes' goal when Alves Cedric shot straight at the Brazil goalkeeper.

The result stretches Saints' poor scoring form to eight blanks in their last nine games, as new boss Mauricio Pellegrino struggles to inspire his side after taking over from Claude Puel.

 

It was a game of little goalmouth activity with much of the first half characterized by the hosts looking to release full-backs Ryan Bertrand and Alves Cedric whilst Watford harried well out of possession.

 

The first chance came when Saints' Sofiane Boufal made space for himself on the byline and pulled an inviting ball back into the box but there was no one in red to execute the finish.

 

Jose Holebas bent a free-kick past Forster's post for the visitors on the half-hour mark, but it took a brilliant strike out of nothing from midfielder Doucoure to set Watford on their way, the 24-year-old whipping the ball past the Saints 'keeper from the edge of the box as Saints failed to clear.

Richarlison went close to making it two with a fierce near-post drive before half time, with Forster relieved to see the ball land in the side-netting.

 

Janmaat put the game beyond the insipid hosts with a lashed finish from 30 yards after a good first touch from Tom Cleverley's header.

It was the third time in Pellegrino's first four games in the St Mary's dugout that his side have failed to score, with Cedric's drive well held by Gomes doing little to alleviate the home fans' concerns.