Aitor won’t throw Troy’s out of pram

AITOR KARANKA admits he would love to sign Troy Deeney – after the boyhood Birmingham fan stunned his beloved club yet again.

The Watford captain blasted home an

85th-minute penalty on his 500th career league appearance to give his side only a second away win of the season.

It was the fifth time Deeney had scored against the Blues.

And strangely that earned him a HUG from Birmingham boss Karanka at the finish.

The Spaniard said: “I love him. Ever since I’ve been in England I’ve loved him.

“You can see he’s a proper leader in the changing room. He’s a top player. I think he can play another 100 or

200 games.”

This game was a real shocker, though.

Birmingham – after two good wins last week – could have taken the lead as Mikel San Jose flicked Gary Gardner’s first-half corner against the post.

But it was Deeney who had an impact on the game in the second half with two poor misses.

First he ran on to a Ben Wilmot long ball before a tame attempt to lob keeper Neil Etheridge. Then he headed well wide from a Ken Sema cross.

But Kristian Pedersen brought down sub Stipe Perica and was handed a red card for his second booking.

And there was never any doubt that Deeney would score to put Watford fourth.

Hornets boss Vladimir Ivic said: “It was an important three points but we can’t talk about the Premier League.”

BIRMINGHAM: Etheridge 6; ClarkeSalter 7 (Sanchez 79th), San Jose

7, Roberts 6; Dacres-Cogley 6 (Colin

79th), Gardner 7, Kieftenbeld 6 (Clayton

(62nd) 6), Sunjic 6, Pedersen 5; Leko 5 (Halilovic 79th), Jutkiewicz 5 WATFORD: Foster 6; Ngakia 7, Troost-Ekong 7, Wilmot 7, Femenia 7; Chalobah 6, Garner 5 (Capoue 90th), Cleverley 6; Quina 5 (Perica (69th) 7), Deeney 7, Sema 6

Troy Deeney

M Donohue