Gerard Deulofeu hit a stunning hat-trick as Watford blew away Cardiff in the Welsh capital. In a match played on Friday night to avoid a clash with the Wales vs England Six Nations match on Saturday, Cardiff tried and failed to stop the rampant former Everton and Barcelona winger, who struck two goals in two minutes just after the hour mark to complete his treble. Troy Deeney bagged Watford's fourth, and after Sol Bamba pulled one back for the well-beaten hosts, Deeney struck again last on to complete a stunning victory for Gracia's side. Read on to see how it all happened,<doc-sep>A superb hat-trick from Watford’s Spanish striker Gerard Deulofeu and two goals from Troy Deeney gave Watford a thumping victory to increase Cardiff’s relegation worries. Deulofeu had not scored for eight matches but he ended that draught before the break and then showed class and composure to strike twice inside four minutes on the hour mark. Deeney made it 4-0 – set up by Deulofeu – before Sol Bamba pulled a goal back from a corner. But Denney made the victory emphatic again with a fifth goal in stoppage time as Watford proved they might yet be good enough for European football at the end of the season. Cardiff had won back-to-back Premier League matches in their last two games, but that did not stop manager Neil Warnock recalling his club captain Sean Morrison to the starting line-up. The centre-back had been sidelined for four matches following appendix surgery, but he was restored to the home defence in place of Lee Peltier. Gerard Deulofeu puts Watford ahead with his first goal of the evening (Getty Images) Warnock made two further changes – giving Leandro Bacuna his first start since his move from Reading, while Josh Murphy was recalled in place of Bobby Reid. Watford – who announced before kick-off they had reached an agreement for £4m compensation with Everton for their former manager Marco Silva – made seven changes from their FA Cup victory over QPR. The rhythm that has carried the visitors into the top 10 was evident early on, however, and they gave warning to their attacking threat when Daryl Janmaat shot over after swapping passes with Deeney. Cardiff did not lack confidence themselves, though, and when Callum Paterson chipped the ball into the path of Oumar Niasse the former Everton striker forced Ben Foster into a sharp reflex save. But just as Warnock’s side looked capable of taking the lead, they conceded an 18th minute goal that like many this season had much to do of their own making. Morrison, Bruno Manga and Joe Bennett all offered ineffectual tackles to Deeney on the edge of the box and when the ball broke to Deulofeu the Spaniard struck a low shot past Neil Ethereidge to put Watford ahead. Josh Murphy puts in a challenge on Etienne Capoue (Getty Images) It might have been extended moments later if Etheridge had not got down sharply to push a rasping shot from Deeney away for a corner. Cardiff’s own attacking threat was infrequent although they did end the half with a surge and what appeared to be a legitimate claim for a penalty. Murphy was released into the left-hand side of the penalty area by Niasse, only for the wing to be upended by Janmaat as the Watford player tried to recover his position. Referee Simon Hooper, however, waved away claims for a spot-kick, much to the anger of Warnock who made a theatrical appeal to the fourth official. It was a warning to Watford, but the visitors survived until half-time without too much further alarm. Cardiff pushed Bacuna further forward at the start of the second-half and were more direct in trying to find Niasse and for a time it looked as though it might provide a route back into the game. But Watford were able to reduce the home side to long shots from distance and when they roused themselves to hit Cardiff on the counter, they made the game safe with two goals inside four minutes on the hour mark. Oumar Niasse is pulled back by Roberto Pereyra (Getty Images) Deulofeu struck for his second after he latched onto a clearance from deep in the Watford half, following a poor free-kick from Bennett. The Spaniard outpaced Manga over the halfway line and then sprinted forward before firing past an exposed Etheridge. Three minutes later and Cardiff were undone again by Deulofeu, although this time the finish was even more exquisite. Arter gave the ball away, Etienne Capoue sent Deulofeu through the middle and Etheridge was left grasping at air as the ball was delicately chipped over him and into the far corner. Deulofeu could even have had a fourth as he again got behind Cardiff’s defence in the 73rd minute. This time, though, he unselfishly pulled the ball back for Deeney to hammer home Watford’s fourth. Cardiff did pull back a consolation goal late on when Bamba bundled the ball in from a corner, but Deeney had the final word when he was set up for his second goal by Will Hughes.<doc-sep>“He’s magic, you know” sang the Watford fans as Gerard Deulofeu staged this glittering one-man show. The versatile Spanish ­attacker scored his first hat-trick in first-team football, then rounded his night off with the most selfless of assists for the first of a Troy Deeney double. Deulofeu and Deeney were the only things worth watching during a second-half one-way show which plunges Cardiff back into severe relegation worries. The 24-year-old has had to get used to hype, having been billed 6½ years ago as a ­sure-fire superstar after winning the best player award at the European Under-19 Championship. After this match, the Spaniard said his performance had been redemptive. “During the season I have missed a lot of chances, but today I scored three and improved my finishing,” he shrugged. “That is the way.” Deulofeu’s pace and opportunism on either flank will be of little surprise to his growing army of ­admirers. AC Milan had moved at the end of January to snatch Deulofeu on loan, with a view to a permanent deal. They may now need a blank cheque to tempt him away from Javi Gracia, who took particular delight in the “generous assist for Troy”. “I can see all the players are moving in the same direction, working for each other,” he said of his ­Watford side, who are now within 10 points of Chelsea.<doc-sep>
Watford have scored five times in a Premier League game for the first time to belt Cardiff City 5-1 while Fulham lost 3-1 at West Ham United to edge closer to the drop. Spanish attacker Gerard Deulofeu became the first Hornets player to score a hat- trick in the EPL era before captain Troy Deeney chimed in with two goals of his own, either side of Sol Bamba’s 82nd-minute consolation strike for the hosts. Deulofeu put Javi Gracia’s side ahead in the 18th minute after a mistake from Cardiff defender Bruno Manga but it was after the break when Watford ran away with the game. Deulofeu made it 2-0 with a clinical finish after a swift break in the 61st minute and the former Barcelona and Everton winger completed his hat-trick after more poor defending from Neil Warnock’s side. Deulofeu then turned creator, teeing up Deeney for a simple tap-in as Watford romped into a four-goal advantage. Cardiff pulled a goal back through defender Bamba but Watford added further punishment with Deeney’s second in stoppage time. Watford moved up to seventh while Cardiff remain 17th, one place and one point above the drop zone. Fulham fell deeper into relegation trouble with their defeat to the Hammers at London Stadium. Claudio Ranieri’s 19th-placed side made the ideal start when they grabbed the lead in the third minute with former Liverpool forward Ryan Babel on target from close range after he had earlier missed a golden chance. There was controversy about West Ham’s equaliser when Mexican striker Javier Hernandez stooped to head in from close range but replays suggested the ball went in off his arm. Issa Diop’s first Premier League goal, with a header five minutes before the break, put West Ham in charge and they were well on top after the break. Marko Arnautovic and Manuel Lanzini made their returns for the Hammers as substitutes. But it was not until stoppage time that the Hammers made sure of the win as Michail Antonio powerfully headed home a cross from Arnautovic.