Watford-Leicester: Reaction

It’s not every day a former England manager brings his side to Vicarage Road, and yesterday the Goldenboys knocked their illustrious visitor down to size with a much-need 3-2 victory.

Speaking to Sky Sports News manager Malky Mackay revealed his delight after a first three points in eight attempts:

‘I think to show the courage to be in a winning position, to be pegged back and then win it again, shows great character in the team.

‘As the game wore on and they got back to 2-2, you probably either try and hold on for your point or you go and try to win it, and I just had a feeling we could go and win it.

‘Every time we were in their half we looked dangerous. Troy Deeney had a chance at 2-2, Don Cowie had one, Marvin (Sordell) had one. I’m really delighted for the team.’

Mackay also afforded a nod to Leicester City, the Championship’s form side, having taken 20 points from Sven’s 10 games in charge:

‘Our opposition analyst went and had a good look at them.

‘They had been on a great run – five out of seven wins – and we knew there was an experienced manager coming here with experienced players, so we had to match their formation and then go and play off that and I felt there were going to be areas to expose.’

In the opposing dugout, Sven Goran Eriksson was disappointed with the goals his side conceded:

‘The first two definitely were. For the first goal (John) Eustace was completely alone, we forgot to mark him, and the second (from Will Buckley), what shall I say about the second goal?’

The Swede also drew parallels his side’s recent defeat by Bristol City:

‘It’s frustrating. It’s the same thing we saw two weeks ago in Bristol.

‘We played good football in the second half, but not the first half.

‘Watford were fighting better than us first half, but if we concede goals as we did against Bristol and the first two here – even the third was rather easy – then it’s difficult to win away.

‘You score two goals and you hope for a draw but we were punished.

‘We need to go on working, hopefully making less mistakes, and we are lucky that there are a lot of games still to be played and I still think we have the possibility to be rather higher in the table. I’m saying that because I feel we are playing football better and better, and I thought we were very good in the second half again.’

Onwards and upwards for the Hornet’s, a date on live television against the unbeaten QPR on Friday night.