Five Of The Best: Hornets Against The Magpies

Ahead of Watford facing Newcastle at Vicarage Road on Saturday (September 25), we take a look at five of the best from previous encounters between the two sides on home turf.

Against the odds at the time, the Hornets beat Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle in a closely fought game where only one goal separated the sides.

Paul Furlong’s crucial strike put Watford in front just before the hour mark, with the striker forcing the ball over the line after a scramble in the box.

The Magpies would go on to win the First Division title that season, earning promotion to the second edition of the Premier League.

Following Watford’s win against Newcastle in 1993, it would take 23 years to beat the Magpies at home once again.

In a January that featured two Newcastle encounters, both of which were at home, the first in the FA Cup yielded progression into the fourth round.

It was a largely cagey affair with Troy Deeney’s goal separating the sides before the break, the striker scoring past current Watford goalkeeper Rob Elliot.

Watford would go on to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup that season.

Two weeks later at Vicarage Road the two sides clashed once more - this time in the Premier League.

The Hornets struck first through Odion Ighalo, who got on the end of a long ball from strike partner Deeney.

The Nigerian rounded Elliot and slotted the ball into the net. The second followed soon after with Craig Cathcart volleying in from close range.

The Magpies would score late on but Jamal Lascelles’ header would prove to be just a consolation.

Ighalo would go on to notch 16 goals that season for the Hornets, finishing just outside the top five goalscorers in the league, while Newcastle were relegated.

In the last home league game of the 2017/18 season, the Magpies travelled down to Watford as they suffered a fifth successive defeat to the Hornets.

Roberto Pereyra opened the scoring early on and then turned provider for Andre Gray who headed into an empty net.

Newcastle would get one back through Ayoze Pérez, but like the game two years before, it would only be a consolation as Watford confirmed survival in the Premier League.

Following the restart of the Premier League season and with four games to go, the Hornets faced Newcastle with every point vital in the relegation battle.

It would be the visitors that would score first with Dwight Gayle tapping in at the back post from a Federico Fernández flick. However, the home side would turn the tide in the second half as Deeney scored from the spot twice.

The first was won by Kiko Femenía, while the second was earned by Ismaïla Sarr on the turn with only a few minutes until the final whistle. The victory remains our last encounter with the Magpies.