Watford with their first top-flight victory

RICHARLISON toe poked a simple winner to give Watford their first top-flight victory over Bournemouth.

The Brazilian, who had marker Adam Smith on toast all afternoon, supplied the jam 17 minutes from time. Smith failed to cut-out Andre Gray's cross and as he lay helpless on the deck Richarlison stuck out a leg to force the ball home.

And that gave the Hornets their first win Premier League win over the Cherries after four successive draws.

Jermain Defoe sat sulking on the bench for an hour as Bournemouth squandered their chances to go ahead.

Benik Afobe should have scored after six minutes when Ryan Fraser's drive bounced off Heurelho Gomes's chest but his volley was deflected over by the goalkeeper.

Then he was played into the box by Steve Cook but his angled close-range shot was the perfect height for Gomes to push the ball around his near post.

But the Hornets were also guilty of being negligent in front of goal with Andre Gray a major offender.

Richarlison beat Smith with ease but Gray somehow missed the target from six yards out right on half-time. Nathaniel Chalobah should have scored in the first half when he headed wide at the back post.

But he wasted a better chance just before the hour mark when he raced clear only to allow Cherries goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to save with his legs.

Defoe got the biggest cheer when came on but even the England striker couldn't save his side from their second defeat with just 30 minutes to play.

Watford sub Etienne Capoue made it 2-0 four minutes from time when he chested down a clearance and beat former Chelsea goalkeeper Begovic from 25 yards. 

FACTS, STATS, GOALS AND LOLS

• The Hornets ended the 2016-17 Premier League campaign by losing their last seven away games. They last went on a longer run in May 2000 (10 away PL defeats in a row).
• Before today all four meetings between Bournemouth and Watford in the Premier League have ended all square – no Premier League fixture has seen a draw in each of its first five matches.
• No current Premier League side (exc. promoted teams) has kept fewer clean sheets in 2017 than Watford and Bournemouth (4 – also level with WBA).
• The Cherries lost their first two games of the Premier League campaign in both 2015-16 and 2016-17 and suffered a 0-1 defeat away to WBA on MD1 in 2017-18.
• Bournemouth have conceded 135 goals in the Premier League since they were promoted in 2015, more than any other top-flight side.
• Bournemouth’s Josh King scored in both 2-2 draws between the two sides last season, while teammate Benik Afobe has found the net three times in his last five league apps versus Watford and for three different sides.
• Heurelho Gomes has started every single one of Watford’s 77 Premier League games since 2015-16 and has more Premier League starts and appearances for the club than any other player.
• From The Sun