Watford 1-2 Brentford: Pontus Jansson scores last-minute winner to send Hornets closer to relegation

Pontus Jansson's last-minute winner gave Brentford a 2-1 win at Watford that inflicted a 10th straight home league defeat for Roy Hodgson's side, who remain six points adrift of safety.

Emmanuel Dennis had brought Watford level 10 minutes into the second half following Christian Norgaard's 15th-minute opener.

The home side then nearly won it in the 92nd minute as Imran Louza put the rebound over, following Josh King's shot that had hit the post.

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But in the final minute of stoppage-time, Jansson dramatically headed in Christian Eriksen's free-kick to snatch the win for the Bees - their third victory in a row in the top flight for the first time since September 1946 - as Thomas Frank's side move up to 11th in the table.

The late defeat for Watford leaves them second-bottom, with just six games remaining, while 18th-placed Burnley and 17th-placed Everton both have two games in hand on them.

The loss also sees Watford become only the third team to lose 10 consecutive top-flight home games in a row, after Birmingham City in February 1986 and Sunderland in August 2005.

Watford slip closer to immediate Championship return

A glorious afternoon of weather at Vicarage Road greeted the players as Watford hoped things would be brighter on the pitch, following a run of four defeats in their last five games.

But any optimism was subdued just 15 minutes in as Brentford midfielder Norgaard slotted home from Ethan Pinnock's long throw-in which was flicked on by Kristoffer Ajer at the front post.

But Watford drew level 10 minutes into the second half through Dennis, who needed VAR to award his goal.

The Nigeria striker lashed home past Brentford goalkeeper David Raya at the back post following Moussa Sissoko's cross that was nodded on by Ismaila Sarr, only for the linesman to rule it out for offside. But the goal then stood following a lengthy VAR review.

With five minutes added on at the end of the game, Watford had the chance to take the lead only for King to hit the post and then Louza to put the follow-up over.

But just three minutes later Watford were made to pay as Brentford captain Jansson scored a 95th-minute winner to give the west London side their first league double over Watford since 1976-77 in the fourth tier.

Hodgson becomes first manager to lose first five home PL games - Opta stats

• Watford are only the third team to lose 10 consecutive top-flight home games in a row, after Birmingham City in February 1986 and Sunderland in August 2005 and only the second to do so within a single season (also Birmingham).
• Brentford have won five of their last six Premier League games (L1) and have won three top-flight games in a row for the first time since September 1946.
• Watford boss Roy Hodgson is the first manager to lose his first five home Premier League games in charge of a club since Chris Ramsey with QPR in 2015.
• Brentford have scored three goals in the Premier League this season via throw-in situations, one more than the rest of the division combined, with Christian Norgaard netting two of those for the Bees and assisting the other.
• Christian Eriksen has registered a goal involvement in three of his last four Premier League appearances for Brentford (1 goal, 2 assists), with only Ivan Toney (154 mins) posting a better mins per goal involvement rate in the division than the Dane for the Bees this season (163 mins).

Hodgson: Brentford defeat a slap in the face

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Watford boss Roy Hodgson:

"I think had we continued to play throughout the second half as we played in the first half and we'd have lost the game, I would have been standing here telling you that it was fully deserved and we were nowhere near good enough.

"But with the second-half performance, I'm entitled to say that wasn't the case. We got our equaliser and came close to getting a winner.

"To lose it with the very last action of the game, I thought it was a bitter blow and not one necessarily that the players or the club deserved today, or certainly the fans deserved because for the first time since I've been here, we gave them something to watch in the second half that they appreciated.

"When that one didn't go in [Louza's late chance], it seemed that maybe the chance we might just create to get that winning goal was going to be Louza's. The fact they go the winning goal was a real slap in the face at the end of the game because I don't think it was a deserved outcome."

Frank: It's been a remarkable season

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Brentford head coach Thomas Frank:

"It's been in many ways a crazy season for us, a remarkable season.

"We're now on 39 points, try to keep focus on winning the next game and finish as high as possible.

"We've had three last-minute winners this season and that shows two things: we are unbelievably fit and that's why we keep going throughout the game and the character and the mentality of the group of players is remarkable."

Man of the match - Pontus Jansson

A captain's performance from Jansson as he led the backline superbly, particularly following an early injury to his usual centre-back partner Pinnock, who was replaced by Mads Bech Sorensen.

Then, after repelling Watford's attacks in the second half, Jansson popped up with the crucial last-gasp winner.

What a return to the starting line-up for the Bees skipper after he missed the win over West Ham last weekend.

What's next?

Watford host leaders Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday at 3pm, while Brentford entertain Tottenham on Saturday Night Football at 5.30pm - live on Sky Sports Premier League.

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