Watford demolish shaky Stoke as Slaven Bilic era starts with a bang

Slaven Bilic enjoyed a memorable start to life as Watford manager with a fine 4-0 victory at Stoke, thanks to goals from Ismaïla Sarr, Ken Sema, Keinan Davis and Vakoun Bayo.

Bilic, who managed West Ham between 2015 and 2017, became Watford’s ninth manager in three years after Rob Edwards was sacked on Monday following a torrid run of just one win in seven Championship games. Sunday’s victory was the club’s biggest since hammering Bristol City 6-0 in February 2021.

Bilic will be equally delighted with the fact his side kept their first clean sheet in 11 games and got a first away win since March. It could have been even more convincing had the visitors not struck the post twice in 90 first-half seconds.

Bilic’s opposite number, Alex Neil, has suffered a shaky start since jumping ship from Sunderland to Stoke at the end of August. This mauling means the former Preston manager has won just one of his first five games in charge.

Bilic, who switched Watford’s formation to a 4-5-1, made four changes for his first game at the helm from Edwards’ last, while Neil handed Dujon Sterling, a deadline-day loan signing from Chelsea, his first Stoke start.

Hassane Kamara was a real bright spark down the left for the visitors. The Ivory Coast defender found acres of space to deliver a teasing cross as Sarr, who may have been marginally offside, expertly ran through the heart of the hosts’ defence to glance a header home in the 11th minute.

It was almost a carbon copy 13 minutes later as another pinpoint Kamara cross found Sarr, who this time headed against a post. Within the blink of an eye, Watford rattled the woodwork again as Josef Bursik, the Stoke goalkeeper, tipped Sema’s strike on to his near post.

Liam Delap squandered a rare