Stoke City 0-4 Watford: Slaven Bilic makes dream start as Hornets boss as goals by Ismaila Sarr, Ken Sema, Keinan Davis and Vakoun Bayo earn easy win in the Potteries

Daily Mail | October 2, 2022

Slaven Bilic's reign as Watford manager got off to the perfect start as they thrashed Stoke City on the road.

The Croatian, formerly manager of West Ham and Everton, replaced the fired Rob Edwards during the international fortnight.

The Hornets, on the cusp of the Championship play-offs when Edwards departed, took the lead early on through Ismaila Sarr.

Ken Sema bundled home their second before late strikes from Keinan Davis and Vakoun Bayo completed the rout.

Full report to follow.

Watford's players celebrate Ismaila Sarr's opening goal against Stoke at the Bet365 Stadium

Ken Sema diverts home Watford's second goal on 64 minutes to strengthen their grip

Sema celebrates doubling Watford's lead midway through the second period at Stoke

Slaven Bilic was taking charge of his first game as Watford boss after replacing Rob Edwards

Watford's third goal came courtesy of Keinan Davis, who fired beyond the Stoke defenders

Davis runs off to celebrate after settling the contest as the game entered the latter stages

Watford midfielder Edo Kayembe tries to hold off Stoke's Will Smallbone in Sunday's game

Keinan Davis gets his shirt pulled by Stoke's Ben Wilmot during a duel at the Bet365 Stadium

Match facts

Stoke City (3-1-4-2): Bursik; Wilmot, Flint, Fox; Laurent; Fosu, Sterling (Clarke 77), Baker, Smallbone; Delap, Gayle (Campbell 72)

Substitutes not used: Bonham (GK); Jagielka, Sparrow, Taylor, Wright-Phillips

Manager: Alex Neil

Booked: Fosu, Delap

Watford (4-2-3-1): Bachmann; Gaspar, Kabasele, Sierralta, Kamara; Choudhury, Kayembe; Sarr (Bayo 81), Asprilla (Louza 59), Sema (Hungbo 87); Davis (Gosling 87)

Substitutes not used: Okoye (GK); Hause, Morris

Manager: Slaven Bilic

Scorers: Sarr 12; Sema 64; Davis 78; Bayo 84

Booked: Bachmann, Asprilla, Sierralta, Choudhury

Referee: Josh Smith

Stoke's Liam Delap laps over Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann during Sunday's game

Watford midfielder Hamza Choudhury tries to steal the ball from Stoke's Lewis Baker