London Feb 12 (BUS): Not even an enthusiastic talk from Elton John Watford, who has been stuck in the relegation zone after a 2-0 loss to Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday, didn’t help.
Music icon and Van Watford called new manager Roy Hodgson recently to wish him and the club well.
But Watford’s negative continuation extended to four league games, in Hodgson’s third match since replacing Claudio Ranieri and tasked with avoiding relegation.
Neil Maupai, who does not have a number in the penalty area, tied Tariq Lamptey’s cross and smashed it into the upper left corner of the net in the 44th minute on Vicarage Road.
Ismail Sarr, who helped Senegal win the Africa Cup of Nations, joined Watford to start the second half in his first appearance for the club since November and gave the hosts a spark.
They almost equalized when Emmanuel Denis hit the crossbar from close range in the 63rd minute.
Adam Webster made it 2-0 in the 83rd minute in a second attempt from close range after a corner kick.
Brighton claimed their first win in four league games – the previous three were 1-1 – to stay ninth in the standings and close to a place in Europe.
It was 74-year-old Hodgson’s 150th managerial match in the First Division since he turned 65. Only Alex Ferguson and Bobby Robson have managed more games after that age.
Watford are one point ahead of last-placed Burnley, who have three games in hand.
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