Josh Sargent hit the winner as Norwich kept their Championship play-off hopes on track with a 1-0 victory at 10-man Watford.

The first-half strike by the American was enough against a home side that saw Vakoun Bayo dismissed in the first half.

Going in search of their first win at home in 2025, Watford made four changes from their defeat at Coventry, with Imran Louza, Moussa Sissoko, James Abankwah and Ryan Andrews coming in.

They were almost undone just two minutes into the contest, when Lucien Mahovo delivered a cross but Sargent’s point-blank shot was very well saved by Jonathan Bond.

The effort appeared to galvanise Watford however, as they got onto the front foot and pressurised the Norwich back line by forcing a number of corners.

The visitors remained dangerous, and Bond was forced into palming away a header from Jacob Sorensen after 13 minutes.

Bayo was unable to keep his header down when he saw his effort go just over the bar after 20 minutes, following an Andrews cross.

However, the Ivorian forward was given a straight red card after 34 minutes, when he shoved Emiliano Marcondes in the throat at a corner.

Norwich punished the 10 men four minutes before the interval, when a deflected Marcondes free-kick deflected to Mahovo, who forced Bond to save before Sargent drove home from close range.

Watford looked for an equaliser but Edo Kayembe should have done better after 49 minutes when he miskicked his shot on goal high and wide.

After their initial burst, the home side were unable to keep up their intensity, with Norwich comfortably making their one-man advantage count.

Visiting keeper Angus Gunn collected an Andrews effort on 71 minutes with little issue, which appeared to sum up the impotent nature of the Watford attack.

The right-back may have been fortunate to remain on the field when he upended the onrushing Sargent, receiving a 77th minute yellow card, but Marcondes put the resulting free-kick just over the bar.

Norwich looked more likely to score in the latter stages, with Oscar Schwartau heading wide two minutes later.

Watford were finding it increasingly difficult to create any sort of late chance against an away side taking an increasing amount of control.

The closest the hosts got to pulling back was substitute Tom Ince falling in the area after brushing past Kellen Fisher, which was ignored by referee Lewis Smith.

But Norwich comfortably saw the game out to give Watford their fourth straight defeat on home soil.