- Brighton has hour up a man
- Amrabat, Knockaert play well
- Gomes gets the job done
Watford stayed unbeaten thanks to fine defending down a man in a scoreless draw against visiting Brighton and Hove Albion at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
Miguel Britos went from hero to goat in a hurry, earning a red card weeks after snaring a late point for Watford versus Liverpool.
Brighton could not find the back of the net despite a lively day from Anthony Knockaert.
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Nordin Amrabat won a dangerous free kick with a little embellishment following a manhandling from Markus Suttner, and a powerful ensuing header was blocked before it could get to Mathew Ryan.
Amrabat set up another chance with physical play against Suttner, but a pair of Hornets couldn’t get on the end of a square pass through the 18.
Brighton elbowed its way into the proceedings, and Knockaert forced Heurelho Gomes into a horizontal parry in the 23rd minute.
Miguel Britos then further put the ball in Brighton’s court with an ugly sliding challenge that earned him a red card with better than an hour to play.
Brighton hit a pair of posts, but received a scare when on-yellow Bruno tempted a red to even things up. No call.
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Kiko Femenia saved Gomes from a tricky stop in the 50th minute, and Brighton earned a corner.
Shane Duffy barely missed with a far post header moments later, and the Gulls were knocking at the door.
Brighton was awarded an indirect kick inside the area when Abdolaye Doucoure was whistled for a high kick inside the 18. The charging wall got a piece of Lewis Dunk‘s effort and it was out for a corner.
Oddly enough it was a counter of a Watford corner that saw Brighton really threaten a diving Gomes.
Record signing Jose Izquierdo came off the bench for Brighton and nearly curled a long distance effort into the upper 90.