Burnley 1 Watford 0

  Arfield came in for his first start in seven games with the task of filling the boots of the injured Robbie Brady.

 And once again the long-serving midfielder stepped up, coolly steering home his first goal since scoring at Anfield in September to give the Clarets a fourth home win of the season.

  Each one of those victories has come on the back of a clean sheet – with Sean Dyche’s men now taking their tally of shut-outs up to seven.

 And once more the Clarets’ back line, despite another enforced change of personnel, came good as Watford, so free-scoring away from home this season, were unable to counter Arfield’s strike which came after the Hornets had been reduced to 10 men following a straight red card for defender Marvin Zeegelaar’s rash challenge on the impressive Steven Defour.

  As well as the absence of Brady, the Clarets were also without Ben Mee as his ever-present run this season was ended with the gashed knee he sustained at Leicester a week ago.

 That meant a first league start for Kevin Long and also a third captain of the campaign for the Clarets, with Jack Cork taking the arm band against the club he previously represented on loan.

  Long started well against the physical presence of Watford captain Troy Deeney, as former Clarets striker Andre Gray started on the bench for the visitors.

  But there were early scares for Burnley as Deeney nodded wide from a corner and Richarlison steered an effort wide at full stretch from Andre Carillo’s excellent cross.

  Carillo also tested Clarets keeper Nick Pope, the alert Phil Bardsley reacting the quickest to prevent Richarlison from snaffling the rebound as Watford looked to extend an impressive record which had seen them score at least twice in every away game so far this season.

  But having come through that test, the Clarets eased their way into the contest before taking control before the break.

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Match Report