Watford vs Sunderland LIVE: Championship result, final score and reaction

Follow live coverage as Watford face Sunderland in the Championship today.

An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.

Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.

Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.

Watford FC 2 - 1 Sunderland AFC

Watford vs Sunderland

16:53

Match ends, Watford 2, Sunderland 1.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:52

Second Half ends, Watford 2, Sunderland 1.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:52

Foul by Nazariy Rusyn (Sunderland).

Watford vs Sunderland

16:52

Corner, Watford. Conceded by Chris Mepham.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:52

Attempt saved. Anthony Patterson (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Trai Hume with a cross.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:52

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Mattie Pollock.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:52

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Tom Ince.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:51

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Angelo Ogbonna.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:50

Attempt blocked. Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tom Watson.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:50

Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:50

Foul by Ryan Porteous (Watford).

Watford vs Sunderland

16:45

Substitution, Sunderland. Tom Watson replaces Romaine Mundle.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:44

Goal! Watford 2, Sunderland 1. Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:44

Penalty Watford. Kwadwo Baah draws a foul in the penalty area.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:40

Attempt missed. Chris Rigg (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:40

Attempt blocked. Ian Poveda (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Romaine Mundle.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:35

Attempt missed. Dan Neil (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Dennis Cirkin.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:34

Daniel Jebbison (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:34

Substitution, Watford. Kwadwo Baah replaces Giorgi Chakvetadze.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:34

Ryan Porteous (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:34

Substitution, Sunderland. Nazariy Rusyn replaces Wilson Isidor.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:34

Substitution, Sunderland. Ian Poveda replaces Patrick Roberts.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:34

Foul by Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford).

Watford vs Sunderland

16:34

Moussa Sissoko (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:34

Attempt saved. Romaine Mundle (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jobe Bellingham.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:34

Foul by Mattie Pollock (Watford).

Watford vs Sunderland

16:34

Substitution, Watford. Daniel Jebbison replaces Vakoun Bayo.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:33

Vakoun Bayo (Watford) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:32

Ken Sema (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:30

Attempt blocked. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:23

Ryan Porteous (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:23

Foul by Ryan Porteous (Watford).

Watford vs Sunderland

16:19

Foul by Chris Rigg (Sunderland).

Watford vs Sunderland

16:19

Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:16

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by James Morris.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:16

Attempt saved. Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:15

Substitution, Watford. Tom Ince replaces Edo Kayembe.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:15

Substitution, Watford. Ken Sema replaces Yasser Larouci.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:15

Substitution, Watford. Ryan Porteous replaces Festy Ebosele.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:15

Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:10

Foul by Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford).

Watford vs Sunderland

16:09

Corner, Watford. Conceded by Dennis Cirkin.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:08

Attempt missed. Yasser Larouci (Watford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Vakoun Bayo.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:08

Attempt missed. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) header from the centre of the box.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:06

Goal! Watford 1, Sunderland 1. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:04

Offside, Sunderland. Wilson Isidor is caught offside.

Watford vs Sunderland

16:02

Second Half begins Watford 1, Sunderland 0.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:46

First Half ends, Watford 1, Sunderland 0.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:46

Attempt missed. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Chris Rigg.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:46

Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:46

Foul by Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford).

Watford vs Sunderland

15:46

Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:44

Attempt blocked. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:39

Attempt missed. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the box following a fast break.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:39

Attempt missed. Chris Rigg (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Romaine Mundle with a cross following a corner.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:37

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Festy Ebosele.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:35

Offside, Watford. Vakoun Bayo is caught offside.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:35

Angelo Ogbonna (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:35

Attempt blocked. Chris Rigg (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Wilson Isidor.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:32

Foul by Angelo Ogbonna (Watford).

Watford vs Sunderland

15:34

Attempt blocked. Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Romaine Mundle with a cross.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:31

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Jonathan Bond.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:31

Attempt saved. Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Patrick Roberts with a cross.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:31

Festy Ebosele (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:31

Foul by Festy Ebosele (Watford).

Watford vs Sunderland

15:28

Goal! Watford 1, Sunderland 0. Festy Ebosele (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:31

Attempt blocked. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:27

Attempt missed. Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:24

Attempt saved. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) header from the centre of the box is saved.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:23

Foul by Festy Ebosele (Watford).

Watford vs Sunderland

16:00

Attempt missed. Yasser Larouci (Watford) header from the centre of the box.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:17

James Morris (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:16

Corner, Watford. Conceded by Trai Hume.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:16

Attempt saved. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Festy Ebosele.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:14

Attempt blocked. Festy Ebosele (Watford) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Edo Kayembe.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:10

Attempt saved. Edo Kayembe (Watford) left footed shot from long range on the right is saved.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:17

Attempt missed. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Festy Ebosele with a cross.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:17

Attempt missed. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) right footed shot from more than 35 yards.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:39

Hand ball by Vakoun Bayo (Watford).

Watford vs Sunderland

15:08

Attempt missed. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:05

Corner, Watford. Conceded by Chris Mepham.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:08

Attempt blocked. Yasser Larouci (Watford) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked.

Watford vs Sunderland

15:03

Foul by Festy Ebosele (Watford).

Watford vs Sunderland

15:00

First Half begins.

Watford vs Sunderland

14:30

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Watford vs Sunderland

13:00

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