Watford 2 Burnley 1: Watch highlights as Troy Deeney and M’Baye Niang score headers to sink ten-man Clarets despite Ashley Barnes’ penalty

WATFORD did enough to see off ten-man Burnley thanks to well-timed headers from Troy Deeney and home-debutant M'Baye Niang.

The Clarets were down to ten men after just SIX minutes after a terrible two-footed lunge from Jeff Hendrick on Jose Holebas.

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The Hornets were quick to capitalise and took the lead through captain Deeney who nodded home a searching ball from Niang on his home debut.

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Things then went from bad to worse for Sean Dyche's side on the stroke of half time through Niang whose well placed header beat Tom Heaton, after Holebas' cross.

Burnley were denied a penalty by referee Michael Oliver after Ashley Barnes ran onto Scott Arfield's pass but he went down after Sebastian Prodl put his arm across the striker.

Heaton kept the Clarets within touching distance with a stunning stop after Niang crossed for Deeney again but the England international showed great agility to deny Deeney.

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Dyche's side piled on the pressure and were rewarded with a penalty after Craig Cathcart cleared the ball off the line, before Barton drilled the ball back into the box, only for it to hit Prodl's arm.

Barnes stepped up and scored off the post to give ten-man Burnley hope at Vicarage Road but it proved too little too late for the relegation candidates.

Deeney then had a goal disallowed after the referee spotted the striker had handled the ball and with the late free-kick Heaton went forward without success.

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FACTS, STATS, GOALS & LOLS

• Hendrick did Burnley no favours when he was sent off after just seven minutes for a two-footed lunge on Holebas. After that it was always going to be an uphill struggle.
• Burnley are still searching for their first away win this season.
• Watford boss Mazzarri had warned his players to avoid a repeat of the Burnley horror-show earlier this season. The Hornets beat Manchester United back in September only to then go to Turf Moor for the following match and lose 2-0.

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• After their 2-1 victory on Tuesday over title-chasing Arsenal he feared a similar follow-up yesterday but his warning seemed to work.
• New signing Mauro Zarate had a solid start for the home team after being named in the starting line-up.
• Deeney has had the pressure taken off him with new strike signings in the transfer window. He opened the scoring after nine minutes, his third in four games.

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• Holebas was back from a two-match suspension after becoming the first Premier League player to notch up 10 bookings. it didn't take him long to pick up another yellow card - on the 20th minute.
• Burnley's record £8 million signing Robbie Brady - who was in the same Dublin boys team as Hendrick and joined from Norwich - was named on the bench along with fellow transfer window man Ashley Westwood, who joined from Villa in a £5million move. Both came on for the latter stages of the game.

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• Niang is proving a force to be reckoned with after arriving on loan from AC Milan until the end of the season. He scored away against Arsenal on Tuesday and then set up the first for Deeney and got on the scoresheet himself against the Clarets.
• The Clarets have now scored just nine goals in their last 20 Premier League away games and never more than once.
• Barnes pulled one back from the penalty spot for Burnley. It is only their fifth away goal this season and three of those have been penalties.

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BIG PICTURE

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SOCIAL SAYS

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

Watford: Gomes 7, Cathcart 6, Kaboul 7, Prodl 6, Holebas 7, Behrami 6 (Doucoure 65, 6), Niang 8 (Success 81, 6), Cleverley 7, Capoue 6, Zarate 6 (Janmaat 87, 6), Deeney 8.

Unused subs: Britos, Watson, Okaka, Arlauskis.

Bookings: Cathcart, Prodl, Holebas, Capoue, Niang.

Goals: Deeney, Niang.

Burnley: Heaton 6, Ward 6, Mee 7, Keane 7, Lowton 7, Arfield 6 (Westwood 77, 6), Hendrick 5, Barton 7, Boyd 6 (Vokes 86, 5), Barnes 7, Gray 5 (Brady 55, 6).

Unused subs: Flanagan, Robinson, Gundmonsson, Tarkowski.

Sent off: Hendrick.

Goals: Barnes.

STAR MAN: Niang.

WHAT THEY SAID

Watford head coach Walter Mazzarri: "Our first half performance was better than our second, and this is why I’m very angry. The big teams close these games 3-0, or 4-0, and we didn’t do it. We have to grow in this mentality.

"This year, our objective is to stay in the Premier League and becoming an important team. We have to work on this, and keep doing what we’re doing."

Burnley manager Sean Dyche, on why he went in to see referee Michael Oliver after the game: "I was only merely asking why M'Baye Niang wasn’t sent off. He had been booked earlier, then ran into their crowd to celebrate his goal, and you’re not allowed to do that.

"It wasn't so much about our sending off. It’s a tough one for referees. I don’t think there was a lot of actual contact, but we know most times that’s going to be a sending off.

"I thought we were absolutely outstanding in the second half. We had a couple of real good chances. They had one golden moment when Tom Heaton made a great save. But given it was 10 v 11, we were excellent."