Watford will be aiming to make it four successive opening day league wins when they face Queens Park Rangers on Saturday and extend a generally positive record over the last 20 years.
The Hornets have beaten Sheffield United, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough in the first match of the last three seasons and another three points this weekend will secure a tenth opening day triumph since the start of the 2007/08 campaign.
In fact, the Hornets have only tasted defeat once in their first league game since then – the 3-0 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on the opening day of the 2019/20 season.
Ahead of the start of this Championship season, scroll through this page as we take a look back at Watford’s first day victories of the past 20 years, starting with that success at Molineux.
August 11, 2007 – Wolves 1 Watford 2: Having been relegated form the top-flight the previous season, Aidy Boothroyd’s side staged a dramatic late comeback to start their season with three points. The Hornets were heading for defeat until Jordan Stewart equalised in the 87th minute, before Marlon King won it with a last-minute penalty.
August 6, 2010 – Norwich City 2 Watford 3: The Hornets kicked off the 2010/11 campaign with a thrilling Friday night victory beneath the lights at Carrow Road. Goals from John Eustace and Danny Graham had Malky Mackay’s men in command before 25 minutes were on the clock. Andrew Crofts halved the deficit early in the second half, but Graham’s second nine minutes from time re-established some breathing space before Michael Nelson pulled one back late on.
August 18, 2012 – Crystal Palace 2 Watford 3: The Pozzo era began with another thrilling five-goal encounter on the road as Watford snatched a dramatic late triumph. Martin Taylor equalised midway through the first half, but Palace were leading until the closing stages when Almen Abdi levelled again, before Matej Vydra’s late winner gave Gianfranco Zola his first league win as Hornets head coach.
August 3, 2013 – Birmingham City 0 Watford 1: Zola’s Hornets travelled to St Andrew’s for the opening day of the 2013/14 Championship campaign and an early goal from Blues fan Troy Deeney was enough to settle the points in the visitors’ favour.
August 9, 2014 – Watford 3 Bolton Wanderers 0: Deeney was again on target again in the opening league game of the following season as the Hornets started with another three points. Vydra netted a second midway through the first half and Fernando Forestieri made certain of the win ten minutes from the end.
August 11, 2018 – Watford 2 Brighton & HA 0: An Argentine star took centre stage at Vicarage Road as Watford kicked off the Premier League season with victory over the Seagulls. Roberto Pereyra put the hosts in front after 35 minutes and then doubled his tally nine minutes after the restart.
September 11, 2020 – Watford 1 Middlesbrough 0: An opening day unlike any other as the season started a month later than usual and behind closed doors due to the Coronavirus pandemic. A Craig Cathcart goal after 11 minutes was enough to settle the contest in the Hornets’ favour.
August 14, 2021 – Watford 3 Aston Villa 2: The fans were back as Watford made a storming start on their return to the Premier League at an emotional Vicarage Road. Villa were left shell-shocked as Emmanuel Dennis and Ismaila Sarr fired the hosts into a two-goal lead by the break, before Cucho Hernandez made an instant impact off the bench with the third midway through the second half. The visitors did battle back with two goals but it wasn’t enough to deny Xisco Munoz’s side.
August 1, 2022 – Watford 1 Sheffield United 0: Another new – and short-lived – Watford managerial era at Vicarage Road started with a win on the opening day as a second-half goal from Joao Pedro was enough to clinch maximum points for Rob Edwards’ side.
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