Match ends, Chelsea 3, Watford 0.
Chelsea 3-0 Watford: Blues boost Champions League hopes with comfortable win over struggling Hornets
- From the section Premier League
Chelsea boosted their Champions League qualification hopes with a comfortable win over Premier League strugglers Watford.
The result lifts the Blues back up to fourth in the table, after they were temporarily leapfrogged by Manchester United.
Nigel Pearson's side remain a point above the relegation zone but have played a game more than Aston Villa, who travel to Liverpool on Sunday (16:30 BST).
Olivier Giroud opened the scoring for the Blues, latching on to Ross Barkley's clever pass and steering a left-foot shot into the bottom right corner.
While Watford worked hard to contain the hosts they offered little to suggest they were capable of a first win at Stamford Bridge since 1986.
And they fell further behind before the break, with Etienne Capoue's rash challenge on Christian Pulisic resulting in a Chelsea penalty that Willian duly converted.
Thereafter it was relatively plain sailing for Frank Lampard's side, who rounded off the scoring when Barkley found the top left corner from Cesar Azpilicueta's cross.
The Blues have now won three of their four games since the top flight resumed in June.
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Line-ups
Chelsea
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 24James
- 4Christensen
- 15Zouma
- 28Azpilicueta
- 8Barkley
- 7KantéSubstituted forGilmourat 78'minutes
- 19MountSubstituted forHudson-Odoiat 76'minutes
- 10WillianSubstituted forLoftus-Cheekat 76'minutes
- 18GiroudSubstituted forAbrahamat 76'minutes
- 22Pulisic
Substitutes
- 2Rüdiger
- 3Alonso
- 5Jorginho
- 9Abraham
- 11Pedro
- 12Loftus-Cheek
- 13Caballero
- 20Hudson-Odoi
- 47Gilmour
Watford
- 26Foster
- 6MariappaBooked at 49mins
- 27Kabasele
- 4Dawson
- 21FemeníaSubstituted forMasinaat 64'minutes
- 14Chalobah
- 29CapoueBooked at 21minsSubstituted forWelbeckat 58'minutes
- 23SarrSubstituted forPereyraat 83'minutes
- 16Doucouré
- 19Hughes
- 9DeeneySubstituted forCleverleyat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Gomes
- 8Cleverley
- 10Welbeck
- 11Masina
- 15Cathcart
- 17João Pedro
- 18Gray
- 25Holebas
- 37Pereyra
- Referee:
- Kevin Friend
Match Stats
Home TeamChelseaAway TeamWatford
- Possession
- Home70%
- Away30%
- Shots
- Home21
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away3
- Corners
- Home5
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away12
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chelsea 3, Watford 0.
Offside, Watford. Adam Masina tries a through ball, but Danny Welbeck is caught offside.
Goal!
Goal! Chelsea 3, Watford 0. Ross Barkley (Chelsea) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by César Azpilicueta.
Attempt blocked. Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by César Azpilicueta.
Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Abdoulaye Doucouré (Watford).
Attempt missed. Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea) header from the left side of the six yard box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Reece James with a cross.
Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Adrian Mariappa (Watford).
VAR Decision: No Penalty Chelsea.
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Roberto Pereyra replaces Ismaila Sarr.
Attempt saved. Danny Welbeck (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Nathaniel Chalobah.
Attempt saved. Adam Masina (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Foul by Ross Barkley (Chelsea).
Will Hughes (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Billy Gilmour replaces N'Golo Kanté because of an injury.
Ross Barkley (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Will Hughes (Watford).
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Callum Hudson-Odoi replaces Mason Mount.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Ruben Loftus-Cheek replaces Willian.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Tammy Abraham replaces Olivier Giroud.
Attempt missed. Craig Dawson (Watford) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Will Hughes with a cross following a set piece situation.
Foul by Reece James (Chelsea).
Tom Cleverley (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt saved. Adam Masina (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Nathaniel Chalobah.
Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea).
Abdoulaye Doucouré (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Andreas Christensen.
Offside, Chelsea. Mason Mount tries a through ball, but Christian Pulisic is caught offside.
Olivier Giroud (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Christian Kabasele (Watford).
Attempt saved. Kurt Zouma (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Willian with a cross.
Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Ben Foster.
Attempt saved. Willian (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ross Barkley.
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Tom Cleverley replaces Troy Deeney.
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Adam Masina replaces Kiko Femenía.
Attempt blocked. N'Golo Kanté (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Olivier Giroud (Chelsea) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Ben Foster.
