XISCO FEVER
Femenia: Hornets are buzzing after Munoz lifts the mood
WATFORD 2 Cleverley 54, Joao Pedro 64 HUDDERSFIELD 0 XISCO MUNOZ has got Watford on track for automatic promotion by bringing the fun factor back to Vicarage Road.
The Spanish coach has been with the Hornets for less than a month, but his new side have already beaten leaders Norwich and run Manchester United close in the FA Cup.
Second-half goals from Tom Cleverley and
Joao Pedro kept Watford in touch with the Championship’s top two as they swept Huddersfield aside.
And compatriot Kiko Femenia says Munoz has restored belief by making his players laugh and smile.
The flying right-back, who set-up the match-clinching second, said: “I am really happy with the new manager. He is so fun and entertaining in training, we are all smiling.
“He is very different from the other managers the club have had. He has totally lifted the mood. He is close to all of us, and to me.
“It’s all on us. We know our goal and we just need to be mentally strong if we are to achieve it.
“I am focused at Watford, I don’t really care what is being said about possible transfers in January. The only goal is to go back to the Premier League, so this is a really big three points.”
The Hornets could have lost captain Troy Deeney to a red card after he went in hard on Juninho Bacuna in the first half’s only talking point. But he survived and helped inspire his team after the break as Cleverley made the most of a howler from Ryan Schofield.
The veteran midfielder punished the keeper, who was painfully slow off his line, before
Femenia’s lung-busting run created the second for Pedro to seal the points after 64 minutes.
On the day Watford honoured the memory of the club’s greatestever manager, Graham Taylor, Xisco said it was crucial the win was secured for the absent fans.
Huddersfield boss Carlos Corberan backed keeper Schofield to recover from his blunder.
“The first goal is a mistake,” he said. “There is no blame. In the moment you need to make the right decision, and if you don’t, you suffer the consequences.
“But he is our first choice and has done really, really well.” WATFORD: Bachmann 6, Femenia 8 (Navarro 85), Troost-Ek 0ong 7, Sierralta 7, Masina 8, Sarr 7, Chalobah 6 (Hughes 67, 7) Cleverley 7 (Garner 80, 5) Sema 7 (Zinckernagel 80) Joao Pedro 7, Deeney 6 (Gray 67, 6) HUDDERSFIELD: Schofield 5, Avila 6, Edmonds-Green 6, Vallejo 7 (Ward 76, 5) Crichlow 6, Toffolo 6, O’Brien 7, Aarons 6 (Jones 61, 6) Bacuna 6, Rowe 6 (High 68, 7) Campbell 6
MOTM KIKO FEMENIA (WATFORD)