Watford put an end to their run of Premier League defeats with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Norwich City at Carrow Road.

Emmanuel Dennis flicked the Hornets in front during a breathless opening 20-minute spell only for Teemu Pukki to draw the teams level ten minutes before the break.

Ismaila Sarr re-established that lead midway through a much less hectic second half before putting the game to bed with a late rebounded effort. 

Both sides went into the match looking to put a halt to their struggling form, with the Hornets losing their last three matches in the league and the Canaries tasting defeat in every one of their four top flight fixtures since their return.

Xisco Munoz was dealt a late injury blow with goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann ruled out of his starting XI with an injury ahead of kick off, although he was fit enough to make the bench. Fortunately for the Spaniard, Ben Foster had recovered from a hamstring problem that had kept him out of the previous two matches and was able to start in his place.

That was one of four changes, with Kiko Femenia restored at right back in place of Jeremy Ngakia and Craig Cathcart replacing Francisco Sierralta in the centre of defence.

Peter Etebo was dropped to the bench and replaced by Tom Cleverley, who captained the team.

The game was both open and frantic from the kick off, with both sides hoping to build early momentum.

Dennis forced a save out of Tim Krul after cutting inside of Max Aarons on nine minutes before Josh Sargent miscontrolled Milot Rashica’s cross into the box under little pressure.

Foster had his first save of the game to make soon after when Mathias Normann’s free kick looked to be sailing into the top corner, but he was able to step across and comfortably keep it out.

Juraj Kucka was then inches away from connecting with Cleverley’s cross from deep to head into the net, but was unable to get the contact required as the free-flowing nature of the game persisted.

Where Kucka had failed moments before, Dennis had no such problem just after the 16-minute mark, when he nodded the visitors in front.

Femenia linked up with Sarr on the right, as they did so effectively throughout last season, and the full-back’s cross was flicked beyond Krul into the far corner of the net by the Nigerian, who celebrated with an acrobatic backflip.

The Hornets were unfortunate not to double their advantage shortly after when Danny Rose released Sarr with a raking crossfield ball. The winger whipped a delivery into the area from the right with Joshua King waiting at the back post, but Aarons intervened in time.

The game showed no signs of tightening up, despite the goal changing its complexion slightly. Norwich pressed in search of an equaliser and almost found it through Sargent’s shot from the edge of the area, but it deflected wide of Foster’s goal.

Watford on the other hand still looked potent on the counter and again came close to extending their lead when Sarr slipped Femenia in behind on the right and he cut back for King in the centre, only for Ozan Kabak to block the shot.

It was a miss they would rue soon after when Pukki netted the equaliser.

A hopeful ball forward by Normann split the Watford centre backs and the Finnish striker reacted quickest before beating Foster at his near post.

The first half ended scrappily, with Cathcart earning a yellow card for a foul on Sargent and the number of free kicks rising steeply.

However, there were still three very good chances in the final five minutes, with Sarr denied twice by Krul, firstly after spinning away from Grant Hanley and shooting from the edge of the box and secondly with a one-on-one from a counter attack after he had been released by Rose’s incisive pass.

Those two opportunities fell either side of an effort from Pukki, who lashed over the bar after Sargent had done well to regain possession in the box.

While the first half had been unrelenting, the second took its time to get going.

The first real chance fell Norwich’s way after ten minutes with Pukki playing a neat one-two with Sargent in the box, only for William Troost-Ekong to prevent the shot with a vital intervention.

The Hornets then had one of their more threatening attacking outlets forced out of the game with over half-an-hour remaining when Femenia had to be replaced by Jeremy Ngakia after picking up a knock defending a counter attack.

However, his replacement was involved in Watford’s second goal almost immediately after joining the match, slipping King into the right-hand channel from where he pulled back into the path of Sarr, who fired past Krul from the corner of the six-yard box.

Billy Gilmour presented Pukki with a chance to equalise not long after when the striker again darted between the visitors’ central defensive pairing, only to drag his effort wide of Foster’s far post.

Norwich boss Daniel Farke refreshed his team with Christos Tzolis and Todd Cantwell replacing Sargent and Normann, but they immediately found themselves on defensive duty, with Sarr breaking down the right.

His arced cross to the back post just evaded Dennis. It would be the striker’s last involvement in the game as he was replaced by Ken Sema shortly after.

With the game entering its final stages, Norwich upped their efforts to once again peg their visitors back.

Kenny McLean drew a comfortable stop out of Foster with a shot from the edge of the box, when Rashica to his left might have been a better option.

The Kosovan did get his chance to score soon after however when he got on the end of Tzolis’ ball from the right, only for Foster to parry.

The game was finally put beyond Norwich with ten minutes left to play when Cleverley slipped King in behind the hosts' defenders. His shot was saved, but Sarr swept into the empty net on the rebound. 

The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but VAR overruled the referee's assistant.

The Senegalese could have bagged himself a hat-trick late on when King played him in down the right, but Krul was quick off his line to thwart the effort, meaning he had to settle for a brace.

TEAM: Foster, Femenia (Ngakia), Troost-Ekong, Cathcart, Rose; Kucka, Sissoko, Cleverley (Etebo); Sarr, Dennis (Sema), King

Unused substitutes: Bachmann, Louza, Masina, Fletcher, Kabasele, Hernandez