Watford looked like they had snatched a draw when Troy Deeney equalised with a late penalty but in injury time the striker went from hero to villain as his own goal gifted United victory. And Watford were still basking in a snatched point after he had hammered an 87th minute penalty – awarded for a clumsy Marcos Rojo foul on Odion Ighalo – beyond David De Gea when United struck back.
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“Before the goal from [Bastian] Schweinsteiger [which has been credited as a Deeney own goal], [Chris] Smalling also had a fantastic kick on the goal and [Heurelho] Gomes saved it fantastically”.
Watford had their best chance of the game to this point with a Deeney screamer 10 minutes into the second half, but it was straight at de Gea who forced it over the bar.
United will seal their place in the knockout stages of the competition on Wednesday if they beat PSV at Old Trafford.
The French national anthem was played before every Premier League game to honour the 130 people killed in the Paris attacks, with England’s top division resuming after the worldwide break amid tightened security.
Schweinsteiger became the first German to appear in 13 Champions League campaigns when he turned out for United in their group opener in Eindhoven two months ago. They can hardly afford any more attacking absentees.
The last time the Holland global completed a full 90 minutes for United came against Southampton on September 20 but he was delighted to finish the game – and score a goal.
“Otherwise I wouldn’t look for another solution, and I have looked for another solution in my team”. In football you always have to believe.
There was, however, to be an even later twist, with Schweinsteiger screwing the ball back from the tightest of angles with a Deeney deflection helping it on into the Watford net. Today he is at home, we gave him a day off to heal the illness; tomorrow he comes and I can say more. “There was a bit of luck but we are happy to get the three points”.
Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores refused to be downbeat despite the nature of the defeat.
He said: “We are still fighting”.
“They are two players who maybe haven’t had a lot of publicity in terms of their chances up to now but I think they are going to get a lot of publicity for their chances going forward”.
“Wilson did not play for six weeks, so you can not play in the Premier League without match rhythm; you have seen with Memphis that in the second half he was less [effective]”.
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“We didn’t play so well in ball possession, but we did play very well when the opposition had the ball”.
