Watford trail Manchester United 1-0 thanks to Memphis Depay's second league goal of the season in the Premier League's early kick off at Vicarage Road.

Quique Sanchez Flores made one change from the side beaten 2-1 at Leicester City prior to the international break, bringing Jose Manuel Jurado into the side in place of Nathan Ake. That meant Ikechi Anya reverted to left-back.

On the bench there was a place for striker Obbi Oularé for the first time since his summer move from Club Brugge. However, Valon Behrami and Jose Holebas were not included.

In a scrappy opening period it was United who settled the better and Louis van Gaal’s men were rewarded with the opener after 11 minutes.

Good build-up play down the right resulted in Ander Herrera crossing into the middle for Depay to escape Craig Cathcart’s attention and send a side-footed volley beyond Heurelho Gomes.

The Hornets had been sloppy in possession during the opening 20 minutes but still carved out an excellent opportunity of their own by pressing high up the field.

Etienne Capoue’s tenacity won the possession deep in the visitors’ half. He shifted the ball right to Odion Ighalo but Watford’s top scorer took too long to get a shot off and fired over as the angle disappeared.

United’s rhythm was disrupted after 25 minutes as their injury problems continued to stack up with the loss of Herrera to a knock. That meant a switch to three at the back as Marcos Rojo entered the fray.

Flores’ side were still struggling to break down United but saw a half chance go to waste when Capoue thrashed over from 20 yards after an Allan Nyom cross had been nodded out to him.

United were dictating possession but failing to convert that into chances. However, goalscorer Depay came closest to doubling his side’s advantage five minutes before half time when he forced Gomes to push a low shot wide at the near post.

Watford: Gomes; Nyom, Cathcart, Britos, Anya; Capoue, Watson; Abdi, Jurado, Deeney (c); Ighalo.

Substitutes: Arlauskis (GK), Oularé, Paredes, Aké, Guedioura, Ibarbo, Diamanti.

Manchester United: De Gea; Young, Jones, Smalling, Blind; Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger; Mata, Herrera, Lingard (Rojo 25); Memphis.

Substitutes: Romero (GK), McNair, Darmian, Goss, Pereira, Rashford.

Referee: Bobby Madley.