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As it happenedended

Chelsea vs Watford result: Loftus-Cheek, Luiz and Higuain score as Chelsea beat Watford

All the action from Stamford Bridge

Harry Latham-Coyle
Sunday 05 May 2019 11:02 EDT
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Chelsea vs Watford: Premier League preview

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Chelsea hosted Watford in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The Blues have their Champions League chances firmly in their own hands after they battled to a deserved win over the Hornets at Stamford Bridge. A tepid first-half was put behind them in the second with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, David Luiz and Gonzalo Higuain all scoring to move Maurizio Sarri's side up to third above Tottenham and Arsenal in the race for the top four.

We'll have all the latest throughout the afternoon here.


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19 minutes

Which Pascal Gross fires into the wall.

It hits Sokratis' arm, but Anthony Taylor waves away the Brighton appeals, indicating it hit his shoulder and that the arm was the close to the body.

He's spot on again.

Harry Latham-Coyle5 May 2019 16:49

21 minutes

Arsenal launch a cross diagonally which is gathered athletically by Mathew Ryan with technique more commonly sighted claiming marks on the Aussie Rules pitches in his homeland. 

Brighton settling back down again after the disruptive start. 

Harry Latham-Coyle5 May 2019 16:52

23 minutes

Stephan Lichtsteiner could have some fun when amateur dramatics when he calls time on his impressive footballing career.

Expressive hand signals and wonderful facial contortions from the Swiss right-back as he again directs his displeasure towards the linesman. 

Harry Latham-Coyle5 May 2019 16:54

25 minutes

Brighton throw away an opportunity on the counter with inaccurate passing but Bernd Leno does his best to give them it back, passing the ball straight to Alireza Jahanbakhsh on the edge of the box like a dad urging his child to have another go at goal in the garden.

The visitors work the ball wide and Glenn Murray meets the resulting cross, but Leno is equal to his header, catching it as he falls down to his left.

Harry Latham-Coyle5 May 2019 16:56

28 minutes

Arsenal have just been unsettled by Brighton in the last ten minutes or so, but they are back on the attack now, two corners in quick succession.

Harry Latham-Coyle5 May 2019 16:58

29 minutes

They play it short and make sure virtually every player has a touch of the ball before finally looking to put the ball in the box.

Nacho Monreal's attempted ball hops out of play level with the edge on the bounce. Alexandre Lacazette is not happy.

Harry Latham-Coyle5 May 2019 16:59

30 minutes

Now then. They've shown some alternative angles of the penalty decision and it now doesn't seem so clear cut.

It's tough to see, and Monreal has gone down as Jahanbakhsh makes his challenge, but there may not be contact at all.

VAR would have had a tough time. I'm not sure it was clear and obvious.

Harry Latham-Coyle5 May 2019 17:01

32 minutes

What's happened there?

Pascal Gross' corner swings more than Jimmy Anderson with the new cherry, untouched all the way to the far post, evading it by half-a-yard.

Bernd Leno thinks he has been fouled but the officials are unmoved and there were a clutch of Brighton players nearby. Even the faintest of touches would have turned it in. Arsenal look uncomfortable.

Harry Latham-Coyle5 May 2019 17:04

34 minutes

That's more convincing goalkeeping work from Leno, well-behind Solly March's drive from a tight-is angle down the left.

He launches an attack with his distribution, too, allowing Arsenal to win a corner.

Harry Latham-Coyle5 May 2019 17:05

35 minutes

Just kept out!

Shkodran Mustafi gets his head to the ball and directs it nicely, from the near post to the near bottom corner.

There's a man on the line but it is too far inside for him to get in the way, and thus duty calls for Mat Ryan, down swiftly to claw it away.

Harry Latham-Coyle5 May 2019 17:06

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