MAKE ’EM MAU-PAY!
Potter praises deadly Neal
ROY HODGSON is yet to ignite Watford’s survival bid – and he admits he needs to do it fast.
After this second defeat in three games at the helm the new Hornets supremo moaned that his strugglers lacked the menace to hurt in-form Brighton.
If a return of one point since taking charge means the club remain rooted inside the bottom three, even more worrying is they have not scored in 270 minutes under his watch.
And Hodgson said: “Brighton are good and they make you run a lot. But apart from their two goals they managed few openings.
“The worst thing for us was that we were unable to put them under much pressure.
“We need to do everything well in the next 15 games to pull ourselves away from relegation.”
While Watford are trying to defy the history books – no side with 16 defeats from 23 outings has ever stayed up at this level – Brighton are flying high.
Neal Maupay and Adam Webster were on target in either half to make it a comfortable afternoon and stretch their unbeaten Premier League run to seven, a new club record.
And just for good measure this was Graham Potter’s first victory over Hodgson in six attempts.
No wonder he was happier than his opposite number as he hailed Maupay’s instinctive finish.
With his side ninth, on 33 points, the Albion boss said: “That was a really good display and reaction throughout against one of Roy’s team.
“It was a superb strike and execution from Neal. He didn’t get many chances but took that one so well.”
The visitors were in the mood to change Potter’s winless streak against Hodgson from the outset.
Twice inside the first 20 minutes home keeper Ben Foster had to be alive as he saved from Jakub Moder and then Maupay, who also flashed a header wide.
Hodgson had asked in his programme notes that Watford fans be patient while he gets stuck into the job.
And they needed to be during a dire opening when the hosts struggled to find any momentum.
Apart from a storming 50-yard run from Emmanuel Dennis, the first half resembled a training session for Brighton.
But just when it seemed it would be goalless at the break, the Seagulls found a breakthrough.
Tariq Lamptey crossed from the right and Maupay struck a fantastic first-time finish past Foster.
Hodgson shuffled his pack at the break, introducing Senegal’s AFCON-winning forward Ismalia Sarr.
His presence gives the side another dimension, as proved when Dennis fired against the bar.
That was a wake-up call for Potter’s men and after Yves Bissouma, Alexis Mac Allister, Moder and Marc Cucurella all went close, Webster wrapped up the points on 82 minutes with a close-range finish.