Cleverley scores winner as Watford top Championship

LONDON: Tom Cleverley marked his 33rd birthday by scoring the only goal as 10-man Watford defeated Burnley 1-0 to go top of the English Championship on Friday.

Hornets captain Cleverley scored on the stroke of half-time at Vicarage Road in a match between two teams looking to make a speedy return to the Premier League after they were both relegated from English football´s top flight last season. But on a see-saw night for Cleverley, the celebrations for his first goal since January 2021 were cut short, as was his match, by a knee injury he suffered while scoring. Hassane Kamara was shown a straight red card for a professional foul nine minutes from time but the Clarets could not make their advantage count.

With Watford goalkeeper Bachmann in fine form, Burnley suffered their first defeat under former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany.