Danny Ings has left a massive hangover with Nigel Pearson. Like three of his men, Watford boss Pearson was in no mood for Party after Ings’ double sealed the points for Saints.
Defeat left the hapless Hornets at the bottom of the table deep in the mire and filled their boss with more misery.
The club announced Pearson was forced to ax Andre Gray, Nathaniel Chalobah, and Domingos Quina from the squad “to ensure the health and welfare of all players, staff, and officials at today’s game.”
The trio violated lockdown laws by attending a 20-guest party at the Gray-in striker’s home, in violation of lockdown regulations.
Pearson’s mood was not helped by the fact that his players played as though they were in a rave-up at the park. Certainly, the Hornets players started the second half as if their boss had a flea in their ear as Ismalia Sarr had blocked a close-range shot within two minutes of the restart. But despite seeing more of the ball than they did before the break, the hopes of the hosts to save anything out of this clash were hit in the 69th minute when Ings grabbed his second after a howler by Foster.
The stalwart stopper attempted to launch an assault on his side but was only able to throw the ball away from the target to 35 yards from Ings.
The former man from Burnley and Liverpool went straight to the goal, beating Foster with a shot on a slight deflection that took perpetrator Craig Dawson.
It was the season’s 18th Prem goal for Ings and he has scored nearly half of the 41 top-flight goals for Saints.
In the 79th minute, Watford pulled one back when Saints defender Bednarek diverted Jose Holebas’ cross into his net.
But two minutes later Ward-Prowse, the new Saints skipper, restored his side’s two-goal advantage by curling a 25-yard free-kick into the top corner.
This could have been much worse for Watford as Foster then denied Che Adams after going through clean-and with a long-range drive, Nathan Redmond smacked the post.
