Captain Moussa Sissoko’s fine finish punished a dreadful Swansea error and was enough for Watford to take all three points in a 1-0 win.
With Mamadou Doumbia sidelined by a hamstring injury, Tom Ince came into the team and Edo Kayembe played through the centre of the attack.
Vakoun Bayo, who might have been expected to start, was on the bench as his wife gave birth earlier today.
In defence, Ryan Andrews replaced Jeremy Ngakia.
The first 45 minutes were somewhat scrappy with few chances at either end, but when Swansea’s Goncalo Franco played an inexplicably bad pass in his own half, the Hornets punished it with a sound finish from Moussa Sissoko.
The second half no higher on quality with neither side being able to dominate enough to truly grasp control of the game.
Watford had the better chances though, and Selvik had little to do despite the Hornets never killing the visitors off.
Here’s how the game unfolded:
8 - Chakvetadze lost the ball midway inside his own half, Swansea broke and Vipotnik curled a shot from just inside the box that Selvik dived full length to palm away.
11 - Andrews curled an inviting cross into the box which landed perfectly for Ince around the penalty spot, but he headed over the bar.
14 - Dele-Bashiru takes a dropping ball on his chest 20 yards, but his attempted volley bobbles comfortably wide.
24 - Larouci did well to win the ball back in the corner. He looked to cross but then cut in and sent a low shot across the face of goal.
26 – Watford 1 (Sissoko) Swansea 0
Awful pass from Franco inside his own half presents the ball to Ince, who moves into the box and then squares for Sissoko to send a first-time shot past Vigouroux.
45+1 - Tymon drives a corner over from the left and Vipotnik runs in to power a header just over the bar.
Half-time – Watford 1 Swansea 0
57 - That would have been some goal as Abankwah hits 30-yard diagonal into the box which Andrews takes down with one touch and then fires across the face of goal with the next.
58 - O'Brien shoots from 25 yards but the ball skids through directly to Selvik.
61 - So nearly a Wes Hoedt-style wonder goal from Kayembe who spots Vigouroux way off his line and drives a 45-yard effort over his head but onto the roof of the net.
65 - Tymon crosses low from the left and Ji-Sung gets a touch ahead of the front post, but turns the ball, into the side-netting.
73 - Sissoko recovered a free-kick and slipped the ball to Kayembe, who rode a tackle before shooting wide from 25 yards.
76 - Tymon's corner gets a flick and Pollock deflects the ball over the bar with his knee.
90+3 - Ngakia makes a great tackle deep in his own half and then sets off on a 40-yard run down the right. His angled pass finds Vata, who has a touch to control and then lashes a shot that Vigouroux palms away.
Full-time – Watford 1 Millwall 0
Watford: Selvik; Andrews (Wiley 83), Abankwah, Pollock, Larouci (Ngakia 71); Dele-Bashiru (Bayo 63), Louza; Sissoko, Ince (Sierralta 83), Chakvetadze (Vata 83); Kayembe. Subs: Bond, Morris, Massiah-Edwards, Ramirez-Espain
