Chelsea found Watford a tough nut to crack at Vicarage Road during their crisis last season, the Blues unable to break down the home side and the Hornets unable to plunge their sting into a stuttering Chelsea as the game ended in a goal-less stalemate. There was more excitement in this early season encounter however, as old foes Walter Mazzarri and Antonio Conte engaged in a tactical battle in opposing dugouts once more, after their famous fall out in Serie A when the two were managing at Napoli and Juventus.
The game itself was a reflection of typical tactical Italian philosophy, and the home side looked to be edging the contest, Etienne Capoue raising the roof with a 56th minute strike with Watford on top, before a late Chelsea comeback snatched the points with goals from Michy Batshuayi- his first goal since his £33million move from Marseille- and a second 87th minute winner in a week for the fiery Diego Costa.
So as Antonio Conte preserved his 100% record start at Chelsea with his first away win as Blues boss over an old arch-rival, what did we learn from the clash at Vicarage Road?