{"id":23626,"date":"2021-10-23T14:05:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-23T18:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23626"},"modified":"2021-10-24T10:44:44","modified_gmt":"2021-10-24T14:44:44","slug":"ranieri-lauds-hat-trick-hero-josh-king-as-watford-stuns-everton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23626","title":{"rendered":"Ranieri Lauds Hat-Trick Hero Josh King As Watford Stuns Everton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Watford manager Claudio Ranieri and hat-trick hero Joshua King celebrate after the win at Everton (PA Wire\/PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Manager Claudio Ranieri was blown away as his Watford side scored four goals in 12 minutes to come from behind and win 5-2 at Everton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hornets\u2019 maiden victory at Goodison Park \u2013 and Ranieri\u2019s first in charge of the club \u2013 came in stunning fashion as Joshua King scored a hat-trick on his return to Everton, where he played 11 times without a goal last season before leaving on a free transfer in the summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, Ranieri\u2019s reign began with a 5-0 home defeat to Liverpool but the mood could not have been more different here as Everton capitulated to leave Watford celebrating in front of their jubilant travelling supporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ranieri said: \u201cIt was important to show the character, the strength, and to react to the result. We were playing well but suddenly we score in nine minutes three times \u2013 it was amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

King, missing last week through injury, was the spark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He replied to Tom Davies\u2019 third-minute strike early in the first half, had chances to put Watford in front and then, after Juraj Kucka cancelled out Richarlison\u2019s header, applied the killer blows before Emmanuel Dennis finished things off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ranieri added: \u201cI\u2019m very, very happy because last week I didn\u2019t have Josh King and today I had Josh King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKing made a fantastic match, not only because he scored a hat-trick, but because he held the ball up, he won all the duels, he was fantastic in every action.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watford fans will hope this result is the start of something under Ranieri, whose first challenge this week had been to lift the heads of his players after the Liverpool rout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just spoke with my heart and said \u2018It\u2019s OK, it could happen\u2019,\u201d Ranieri said of his message this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen Atletico Madrid lost 3-2 against Liverpool (in the Champions League on Tuesday), I talked to my players and said \u2018For me, Atletico Madrid is one of the best teams in the world (defensively) so if they can concede three to Liverpool, Watford can concede five\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut after this we have to fight for every duel, for every ball and second ball and I\u2019m very, very pleased with our performance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Ranieri celebrated, his old friend Rafael Benitez was left to wonder where it all went wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With 15 minutes to play his side were on course to end the day fourth in the Premier League but by full time, Goodison was half-empty and those left were directing their scorn at the manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spaniard said: \u201cI\u2019m really disappointed. We score the goal, we are ahead, and then we make mistake after mistake and concede too many goals in a few minutes because we couldn\u2019t manage a situation that was in our favor with the second goal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Richarlison came on as a substitute on the hour mark, his first appearance after six weeks out with a knee injury, and needed only three minutes to head his side in front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But once Everton lost their lead they lost their way entirely, with the last two Watford goals making for embarrassing watching for Everton\u2019s defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRicharlison came on the pitch, scored the goal, and the fans were behind the team and everything was positive,\u201d Benitez said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen we start making mistakes and we give them the chance to have a corner that we could do better with and we didn\u2019t defend well the corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter that the counter-attacks, every time they regained the ball in a bad position and it gave them more hope and belief and more confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI understand the frustration of the fans. We have to make sure we show something in every game, more character, more personality. We have to manage difficult situations.\u201d<\/p>\n

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