Danny Welbeck scored the winner with a spectacular overhead kick as Watford came from behind to beat Norwich and move four points clear of the Premier League relegation zone.
Norwich, who remain bottom of the table and are now 10 points behind the 17th-placed Hornets, will be relegated if they lose to West Ham on Saturday.
Emiliano Buendia’s curled effort gave Norwich an early lead before Craig Dawson equalised with a close-range header.
The home side won it through Welbeck’s wonderful goal, after the ball looped up following a poor clearance by Max Aarons.
Norwich had a late chance to grab an equaliser, but 19-year-old Adam Idah shot wide from five yards out when sliding in at the back post.
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Defensive errors again cost doomed Norwich
After their 1-0 home loss to Brighton on Saturday, Canaries boss Daniel Farke seemed resigned to relegation, saying that game had been their “last chance” and any talk of them staying up was “unrealistic”.
The German called for his side to show some pride and he will have been pleased with how they began at Vicarage Road.
Buendia, who had earlier seen a free-kick tipped over by Ben Foster, scored his first Premier League goal when he collected the ball from Onel Hernandez’s fine run, cut inside defender Adam Masina and curled the ball into the net from 15 yards out.
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Norwich have received plaudits for their style of football since winning promotion from the Championship last season, and gained some impressive results, including wins over Manchester City, Leicester and Everton and draws with Arsenal and Tottenham.
But the key reason they look destined for an instant return to the second tier has been their poor defensive record. And true to form their lead only lasted six minutes before they conceded a soft equaliser.
Dawson lost his marker and was too strong for Alexander Tettey to head into the net from close range from Etienne Capoue’s delivery.
Farke will also be unhappy with Watford’s second, as Aarons should have done much better with his clearance before Welbeck’s overhead kick.
Norwich have now conceded more goals than any other team in the Premier League this season (63).
More to follow.
Line-ups
Watford
Substitutes
Norwich
Substitutes
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, Watford 2, Norwich City 1.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Watford 2, Norwich City 1.
Booking
Tom Cleverley (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Max Aarons (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Tom Cleverley (Watford).
Booking
Emiliano Buendía (Norwich City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Emiliano Buendía (Norwich City).
Abdoulaye Doucouré (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Emiliano Buendía.
Foul by Max Aarons (Norwich City).
Adam Masina (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Ben Godfrey (Norwich City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Ben Godfrey (Norwich City).
Tom Cleverley (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Nathaniel Chalobah replaces Etienne Capoue.
Attempt missed. Adam Idah (Norwich City) right footed shot from very close range is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Josip Drmic.
Attempt missed. Josip Drmic (Norwich City) header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the right. Assisted by Jamal Lewis with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Josh Martin replaces Onel Hernández.
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Josip Drmic replaces Teemu Pukki.
Foul by Adam Idah (Norwich City).
Kiko Femenía (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Onel Hernández (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Tom Cleverley (Watford).
Attempt missed. Mario Vrancic (Norwich City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Emiliano Buendía with a cross following a set piece situation.
Jamal Lewis (Norwich City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Abdoulaye Doucouré (Watford).
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Adam Idah replaces Marco Stiepermann.
Attempt missed. Adam Masina (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a set piece situation.
Foul by Mario Vrancic (Norwich City).
Ismaila Sarr (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Max Aarons (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Etienne Capoue (Watford).
Attempt saved. Tom Cleverley (Watford) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Troy Deeney with a headed pass.
Foul by Jamal Lewis (Norwich City).
Ismaila Sarr (Watford) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Max Aarons (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Troy Deeney (Watford).
Foul by Timm Klose (Norwich City).
Troy Deeney (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Tom Cleverley replaces Will Hughes.
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