Ighalo Fires Blank as Man Utd Beat Watford to Move Fifth

Ighalo Fires Blank as Man Utd Beat Watford to Move Fifth

Nigeria international, Odion Ighalo had only ten minutes of action yesterday against his former club Watford as Manchester United raced to a 3-0 victory to climb to the fifth spot on the English Premier League log.

He was an 80th minute substitute for Anthony Martial but failed to find the back of the net to celebrate his return to the Premier League after his January transfer deadline signing for the Red Devils on a six months loan.

Bruno Fernandes’ first Manchester United goal set his new club on their way to a comfortable 3-0 home win against relegation-threatened Watford.

Fernandes, a £47m January signing from Sporting Lisbon, converted a 42nd-minute penalty after he had been taken out by Watford keeper, Ben Foster.

The goal ended a 236-minute wait for a United home goal in the Premier League after they had failed to score against Burnley and Wolves.

Anthony Martial scored an excellent second after Troy Deeney had a goal ruled out by VAR for handball in the build-up, with 18-year-old Mason Greenwood lashing home his 11th of the season 15 minutes from time.

After beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Monday, it was only the third time this season that United had won successive Premier League games.

While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men have now moved into the top five, Watford remain second from bottom.

Elsewhere, Diogo Jota made it five goals in two games as Wolves reignited their chase for a Champions League spot with a 3-0 victory against basement side Norwich.

The Portuguese forward was at his lethal best in recording a hat-trick in the 4-0 Europa League victory over Espanyol on Thursday and he took just 19 minutes to add to his tally for the season.

Initially it seemed Matt Doherty’s assist would be ruled out for handball but replays showed that the ball bounced against his stomach. When the chance was presented to Jota he turned in one movement and struck a low shot through the legs of Tim Krul.

Jota’s second was also reviewed by VAR. The striker was offside when the ball was initially played into the area but drifted back onside to tap in Romain Saiss’ volleyed cross.

He came close to a second successive hat-trick as Wolves made it 3-0 soon after the break. His low strike thundered off the post but the loose ball was turned in by Raul Jimenez.

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