Watford 3-4 Southampton: Nathan Redmond's double helps Saints past Hornets

Nathan Redmond scored twice as Southampton squeezed past Watford 4-3 in an entertaining encounter at Vicarage Road on Saturday.

Troy Deeney volleyed Watford into an early lead before goals from Dusan Tadic and Redmond put Southampton 2-1 up at half-time.

Stefano Okaka drew the hosts level in the 79th minute before Manolo Gabbiadini pounced on a Heurelho Gomes error four minutes later.

Redmond then scored his second to put the game beyond Watford, despite Abdoulaye Doucoure's goal in the final minute.

Victory lifts Southampton into the top half of the Premier League table, while Watford move down to 13th.

It was the perfect start for the hosts as Deeney flicked on Younes Kaboul's long throw for Okaka before latching onto the return ball with a finely-taken volley into the far corner after four minutes.

Southampton grew into the game after going a goal down and Gomes was forced to tip Tadic's effort round the post before getting down low to deny Gabbiadini.

An end-to-end half then saw Okaka spurn two headers from Jose Holebas' crosses before Etienne Capoue's long-distance effort trickled narrowly wide of the mark.

The Saints were level in the 28th-minute through Tadic, who started the attack before latching onto the loose ball inside the box and slotting into the bottom corner.

In the second minute of added time the visitors went ahead following a fine team move, with Redmond rounding it off from 12 yards out.

After the break, Gomes came to the rescue twice to keep Watford's hopes alive, first producing a flying save to tip away Tadic's volley before getting down low to deny Maya Yoshida's close-range effort.

Watford equalised with just over 10 minutes to go when Okaka turned the ball home following Isaac Success' low cross.

The score was level for just four minutes however, as Gomes spilled a Sofiane Boufal effort, with Gabbiadini poking the ball home.

Redmond then found himself in acres of space down the left, and with Sebastian Prodl backing away, his effort proved too strong for Gomes.

There was still time for a Doucoure consolation, but the Saints held on to provide the perfect tonic for their supporters following last weekend's heartache in the EFL Cup final.

Player Ratings

Watford: Gomes (6), Kaboul (6), Prodl (5), Britos (6), Holebas (6), Cleverley (6), Behrami (5), Capoue (6), Niang (6), Deeney (7), Okaka (7).

Subs: Success (7), Doucoure (N/A).

Southampton: Forster (6), Cedric (7), Stephens (7), Yoshida (6), Bertrand (6), Romeu (6), Davis (7), Ward-Prowse (7), Tadic (8), Redmond (9), Gabbiadini (8).

Subs: Boufal (6), Clasie (N/A), Long (N/A).

Man of the match: Nathan Redmond (Southampton)