LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Claudio Ranieri claimed his first win as Watford manager as Josh King scored a hat trick in a 5-2 thrashing of Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.
Watford bounced back from a 5-0 loss to Liverpool last weekend in Ranieri's first game in charge, signaling the impact the 70-year-old Italian might already be having at the club.
The final whistle was met with loud jeers from Everton fans after the team's most humiliating loss under its recently hired manager Rafa Benitez, who was a contentious appointment for some supporters because of his links to local rival Liverpool.
Everton conceded four goals from the 78th minute at Goodison Park, a terrible finish to a match the team started well when Tom Davies scored the opening goal in the third minute.
King equalized in the 13th for his first goal for the visitors but Richarlison, a former Watford player, reclaimed the lead for Everton with a header in the 63rd — three minutes after coming on as a substitute after a spell out injured.
It was all Watford after that, with Juraj Kucka’s header drawing Watford level again in the 78th, King scoring in the 80th and 86th minutes to complete his hat trick, and Emmanuel Dennis adding a fifth in the first minute of stoppage time.
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