Stoke City vs Watford

English football's second tier is one of the most-watched leagues in Europe with a relentless fixture schedule and the prize of a place in the Premier League on ...

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Match report and free highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Stoke City and Watford at the bet365 Stadium; goals from Ismaila Sarr, ...

Then at 2-0, I think the most disappointing thing for us was what happened beyond that point." I thought we were on the front foot, we penned them in. Alex Neil is a very aggressive and direct manager and his side caused us problems in the first half and the start of the second half. "We made some mistakes when Stoke put us under pressure, so we need to improve and build on this. "It was a very difficult away game against an opponent that is in form. The strikers scored goals and that's what you really want.

Slaven Bilic takes charge of his first game as Watford manager this afternoon as the Hornets take on Stoke City in the Sky Bet Championship.

Fans will also be eager to see that happen, of course, after many were disappointed with the removal of Edwards so soon after being appointed, and so Bilic needs to try and get off to a quick start to try and show that was the right call from those running the club. The Croatian is back in English football after Rob Edwards’ removal as manager of the club and he’ll be eager to get off to a positive start. Slaven Bilic takes charge of his first game as Watford manager this afternoon as the Hornets take on Stoke City in the Sky Bet Championship.

Slaven Bilic gets his Watford reign off to a perfect start with a 4-0 away win over Stoke at the bet365 Stadium.

[Ismaila Sarr](/people/ismaila-sarr/) gave the visitors the lead after only 12 minutes and, while the deficit remained at just one going into the interval, it could have been worse with the Hornets also hitting the post twice. [Ken Sema](/people/ken-sema/), [Keinan Davis](/people/keinan-davis/) and [Vakoun Bayo](/people/vakoun-bayo/) all scored in the final half an hour to put [Alex Neil](/people/alex-neil/)'s side to the sword. [Slaven Bilic](/people/slaven-bilic/)'s reign as [Watford](/football/watford/) manager got off to a perfect start this afternoon as his side thrashed [Stoke City](/football/stoke-city/) 4-0 at the bet365 Stadium.

Stoke City 0 Watford 4 (Sarr 12, Sema 64, Davis 78, Bayo 84). Sarr heads Watford into the lead from a Kamara cross. Sema bundles home to double the ...

- Watford: Bachmann; Gaspar, Kabasele, Sierralta, Kamara; Choudhury, Kayembe, Asprilla (Louza 59); Sarr (Bayo 82), Davis (Gosliong 87), Sema (Hungbo 87). - Hornets made four changes with Gaspar, Kabasele, Sierralta and Sarr coming into the side. - FT: Stoke City 0 Watford 4 (Sarr 12, Sema 64, Davis 78, Bayo 84). - Sarr, Sema, Davis and Bayo fire Watford to an emphatic victory in Slaven Bilic's first game. [Hornets make statement with emphatic success at Stoke](https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/23008609.watford-hit-stoke-city-four-bilics-first-game-helm/) [Bilic wants Hornets to play with greater confidence](https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/23008639.new-watford-boss-bilic-hails-great-win-stoke-city/) [Take a look inside Watford's cheapest property on Zoopla](https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/22895274.see-watfords-cheapest-property-zoopla/) [Gang-fuelled drugs and vandalism leave woman scared to leave home](https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/22828682.gangs-drugs-vandalism-plaguing-long-croft-watford/) [RECAP: Hornets hit four at Stoke as Bilic gets off to a winning start](https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/23008284.bilic-makes-winning-start-watford-hit-four-stoke-city/) [Thief caught on CCTV ripping wingmirror cover off BMW](https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/22957547.bmw-wingmirror-cover-theft-watford-caught-cctv/) [I tried Watford's award-winning Indian to see if it's worth the hype](https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/leisure/22692747.easy-see-prince-king-among-restaurants/) [The Watford FC revolving door is back - and Pozzo owes fans an explanation](https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/23007276.watford-fc-not-pozzo-needs-something/) [The grand house that became a popular club](https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/22839086.grand-house-became-watford-trade-union-labour-club/) [Watford photographer screens BFI film inspired by attack at Watford Junction](https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/leisure/23008768.watford-photographer-screens-pole-bfi-funded-film/) [Watford have sacked Rob Edwards after 11 matches - Giaretta stays though](/sport/22642047.watford-sack-edwards-sporting-director-giaretta-stays/) [Several acts of the farce have played out, now we must hear Pozzo's script](/sport/22691168.watched-farce-now-must-hear-pozzos-script/) [Bilic confirmed as Watford head coach after Edwards is sacked](/sport/22642534.watford-appoint-bilic-head-coach-edwards-sacking/) [Bloggers, vloggers, podcasters and social channels have their say on Watford](/sport/22806499.watford-bloggers-vloggers-podcasters-say/) [Bilic is clear about who is in control of footballing matters - him!](/sport/22990898.bilic-spells-control-training-ground/) [Update on progress of new Watford Muslim Youth Centre](/news/22794888.update-progress-new-watford-muslim-youth-centre/) [Hornets make statement with emphatic success at Stoke](/sport/23008609.watford-hit-stoke-city-four-bilics-first-game-helm/) [Strategic analyst leaves Watford and more backroom changes likely](/sport/22817822.watfords-strategic-analyst-leaves-changes-likely/) [Trust urges Watford owner to 'communicate directly to supporters'](/sport/22788924.supporters-trust-urge-pozzo-communicate-directly/) [The Watford FC revolving door is back - and Pozzo owes fans an explanation](/sport/23007276.watford-fc-not-pozzo-needs-something/) - Hornets up to seventh after first away win of the season. Hause dropped to the bench but Troost-Ekong, Cathcart and Pedro all out through injury.

Team News: Stoke City v Watford · Match Dashboard. Slaven Bilić steered Watford to their first away win of the 2022/23 season in his first match in charge, as two goals in either half emphatically saw off Stoke City 4-0 at the Bet365 Stadium.

Gayle and Smallbone did their best to get Stoke on the scoreboard, but both were unable to trouble Bachmann with efforts around the 70-minute mark, and then Davis forced a Bursik save in search of a third for the visitors. And it wasn’t long before the Hornets made it 2-0, with Sema burying his second of the season at the second time of trying after Choudhury had initially picked out Davis in the home box. In what was a competitive opening, captain for the day Kabasele did well to snuff out a home chance created by Dwight Gayle with a smart last-ditch tackle, and then Bachmann reacted well to beat the latter to a dangerous ball over the top.

Slaven Bilic will take charge of his first Watford game when they take on Stoke on Sunday as he looks to get his reign off to a positive start.

Cathcart was one of the better players in the game against Sunderland and his experience could be vital. Bilic is likely to play with four at the back, meaning dropping one of the centre halves from the starting XI. With that in mind, one of the big dilemmas for Bilic is whether Francisco Sierralta comes in for Craig Cathcart. Bilic may be looking to play a possession style of play, similar to his West Brom side that won promotion in the 2019/20 Championship season. So, with that in mind, here are the dilemmas facing Bilic ahead of the game with Stoke City. [Championship](https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/category/championship-news/) level having won promotion with [West Brom](https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/category/west-brom-news/) in the 2019/20 season and will be looking to do the same here.

Watford began life under new head coach Slaven Bilic with an emphatic 4-0 victory at Stoke, a result that sees the Hornets rise to seventh in the ...

Watford put the result beyond any doubt when Keinan Davis fired in to make it 3-0 on 78 minutes before substitute Vakoun Issouf Bayo added some late gloss to the scoreline when he tapped in at the far post (84) After replacing Rob Edwards who was sacked earlier this week, Bilic got off to the perfect start when Ismaila Sarr's close-range header gave Watford the lead in the 12th minute. Watford began life under new head coach Slaven Bilic with an emphatic 4-0 victory at Stoke, a result that sees the Hornets rise to seventh in the Championship table.

Bilic is the Hornets' ninth manager in three years last week after Rob Edwards' sacking on the back of just one win in seven Championship games. Ismaila Sarr, ...

"It’s a great win for us. That’s the aim, to play confidently when we are losing." "This is the blueprint that we want to follow.

Ismaïla Sarr got Watford off to the perfect start as he headed in the opener, before second-half goals from Ken Sema, Keinan Davis and Vakoun Bayo sealed an ...

“Of course, I’m happy with the result, but this is the Championship and we have another game in three days. “It’s always the best when you have something to look at and improve upon. “We have many players, 80 per cent, who have played 50, 100, 200 games in the Premier League and have also played 50 games in the Championship, and you can’t buy that. He continued: “I’d like them to be braver, which is difficult, but I would like them to play with confidence whether it’s 0-0 or we are losing, which isn’t always easy. “It was always going to be a difficult away game against a difficult opponent that is in form. “It’s great for us and it’s a great start,” Bilić began.

Reaction as new Watford manager watches his side hammer Potters at the bet365 Stadium.

“It’s difficult (to say how they could improve further) but I would like them to play when the score is 0-0 or when we are losing 1-0 to play with confidence which is not always easy. You want them to be confident, for your defenders and keepers to have a clean sheet and to be creative. I can tell them whatever I want but they needed proof on the pitch and that's why we needed that second goal to unleash and behave completely free and start to enjoy playing football. We suffered together and we defended as a team, the back four defended great, they were well protected and you give space to our players out wide and up front, they’re good players. They are very confident, very direct, a very front-footed team so it requires something to stop that, to block them. Bilic said: "It was a great start, well deserved and a great win in a tough away game.