More pressure was heaped on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Saturday as Watford sealed a deserved 4-1 win over a shambolic Manchester United in front of a packed Vicarage Road.
United’s loss was their fourth in their last five games, and their heaviest to newly-promoted opposition in more than 30 years. On the other hand, Watford had not won any game at home since the begining of the season.
Read Also: Chelsea trash Leicester 3-0 to extend lead at the top
In an electrifying first half, United were unable to deal with the high pressing of a well organised Hornets side and quickly found themselves in danger when Scott McTominay bundled forward Joshua King inside the box, but Kiko Femenia’s goal on the rebound from Ismaila Sarr’s saved spot-kick was ruled out for encroachment, and Sarr was again denied by De Gea from the retake.
Watford did not have long to regret their missed opportunity. Emmanuel Dennis teed up former Manchester United trainee Josh King to prod home (28) as the hosts pressed home their dominance, and Sarr doubled the advantage a minute before the break with a powerful finish.
Donny van de Beek, whose name had been cheered by the Manchester United fans for long periods of the first half, was introduced at the break and made an instant impact, nodding home from Cristiano Ronaldo’s flick five minutes into the second period.
But United’s discipline would again let them down again as Harry Maguire dented any hopes of a comeback when shown a second yellow card for a late challenge on Tom Cleverley after being caught in possession.
In injury time, goals from Joao Pedro and Emmanuel Dennis piled yet more misery on the visitors as they sunk without trace, in a capitulation perhaps worse than recent defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City, and one which could provide the final straw for Solskjaer’s reign at Old Trafford.
