West Ham had the finest away record against the finest clubs in the Barclays Premier League this season but Slaven Bilic’s side waved the white flag in this surrender at Watford.
Their unbeaten record came to an end after two goals by Odion Ighalo and, despite famously winning at Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City previously, they barely had a sniff at Vicarage Road.
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic wanted to add another scalp to his already remarkable collection and an unlikely combination of results elsewhere could even have seen them top of the table. That, though, never looked likely, even before the second-half red card shown to James Collins summed up their afternoon.
West Ham were primarily let down by the man who last week was their hero in Andy Carroll. Carroll headed the winner against Chelsea and, with West Ham up against a team that had only conceded 10 goals this season, Bilic selected the battering ram to try to break down Watford’s brick wall.
That decision, though, would be their downfall in the 39th minute when Carroll took too long in the box, was robbed was Nathan Ake and West Ham conceded a gift of a goal.
The England international was soon relied upon in front of goal but at the opposite end when Watford were denied the opener in the 11th minute.
A point-blank header from Ake was saved by West Ham goalkeeper Adrian but not held, sparking a free-for-all inside the six-yard box. It fell to Troy Deeney, whose powerful shot was blocked by Carroll with Watford appealing for handball.
Replays showed the ball unintentionally ricocheted from head to arm and nothing was given by referee Keith Stroud.