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Man United too hot for Watford

Published:Tuesday | November 28, 2017 | 12:00 AM
AP
Manchester United's Anthony Martial (left) celebrates scoring his side's third goal with Ashley Young during the English Premier League match against Watford at Vicarage Road stadium in Watford yesterday. Young scored a double while Jesse Lingard got the final goal.

WATFORD, England (AP):

A first-half double from Ashley Young and Jesse Lingard's 60-metre solo goal helped Manchester United beat Watford 4-2 yesterday to keep in sight of Premier League leader Manchester City.

Watford fought back from 3-0 down with goals in the 77th and 84th minutes, but Lingard ensured the hosts would not complete the comeback by running from inside his own half, skipping past two defenders before finding the corner.

Young, a former Watford player, drove home the opening goal from outside the box in the 19th minute, and curled a free kick into the top corner for 2-0 in the 25th.

United capitalised on poor defending by Watford to score a third in the 32nd minute, with Anthony Martial running onto Romelu Lukaku's pass to slot home a finish from the edge of the area.

Goals by Troy Deeney, with a penalty, and Abdoulaye Doucoure brought Watford back into the game, only for Lingard to have the final say.

United closed to within five points of City who play Southampton today.

Meanwhile Tottenham Hotspur slipped up again with 2-1 loss at Leicester City, thanks to beautifully taken goals by Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez.

It was a third loss in its last five league games for Tottenham, who have slumped 13 points behind first-place Manchester City, having played a game more.

 

IMPRESSIVE DOUBLE ACT

 

The Vardy-Mahrez double act propelled Leicester to their improbable league title triumph in the 2015-16 season and their goals were a reminder of their class.

Vardy met Marc Albrighton's left-wing cross with a volleyed lob in the 13th minute, leaving goalkeeper Hugo Lloris stranded.

Mahrez made it 2-0 on the stroke of halftime when he ran down the right on a counter-attack, cut inside defender Jan Vertonghen, and curled a left-foot shot into the far corner.

It was mostly Tottenham in the second half, and Harry Kane grabbed his 10th goal of the season by meeting substitute Erik Lamela's pass with a finish high into the net in the 79th minute.

Lamela came on for his first appearance in 13 months.

Leicester survived a penalty appeal when Danny Rose tumbled in injury time and claimed their biggest win under new coach Claude Puel.

Yesterday's results: Brighton 0 Crystal Palace 0; Leicester 2 Tottenham 1; Watford 2 Manchester United 4; West Brom 2 Newcastle 2.