Swansea 1 Watford 0: Ashley Williams' header consigns Hornets to fourth straight defeat

Disappointed: Quique Sanchez Flores has not won a Premier League game since mid December
Ian Walton/Getty Images
Giuseppe Muro18 January 2016

Watford suffered their fourth straight Premier League defeat and missed the chance to climb back into the top half of the table as they were beaten by Swansea.

The Hornets went down to a first-half header from Ashley Williams and remain without a win since before Christmas.

Quique Sanchez Flores did see an improvement from last week’s defeat at Southampton and Jose Manuel Jurado almost rescued a point late on.

But this was a reminder that Watford need to strengthen before the window closes.

They confirmed the signing of Morocco forward Nordin Amrabat from Malaga before the game and more reinforcements are needed.

Swansea, who confirmed the appointment of former Udinese manager Francesco Guidolin as their new head coach before the game, move out of the relegation zone.

Flores had asked for a response from Watford after what he described as their worst display of the season against Southampton but his side started slowly.

Heurelho Gomes had to make a couple of smart early saves to keep Swansea out and Watford struggled to get Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo into the game.

Swansea deservedly went ahead on 27 minutes. Ki Sung-yueng crossed from the right and Williams rose highest inside the area to powerfully head past Gomes.

GEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images

Watford did not have an effort on target until first-half stoppage time but Jurado’s shot was saved by Lukasz Fabianski and Swansea went in ahead.

But the away side improved in the second half and almost levelled seven minutes after the restart. Ben Watson curled in a free-kick from the left and Miguel Britos glanced a header onto the roof of the net with Fabianski beaten.

Watford continued to press for an equaliser and almost found one when Jurado played a one-two with Ighalo before curling just wide of the post. The Spanish midfielder should have done better.

Jurado went close to snatching an equaliser with two minutes remaining but his volley went agonisingly wide.

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