Watford were knocked out of the Carabao Cup after a heavy 5-1 home defeat to Peterborough United at Vicarage Road. The Championship side conceded five goals, with the visitors scoring four times in the first half.
This result comes as Watford prepare for their next Championship fixture, sitting 7th in the table with four points from two games. Their recent form reads DW, having scored three goals and conceded two so far this season. They are currently two points behind league leaders Millwall. The club's next match is a home game against West Ham on 29 August 2026.
Peterborough United, managed by Luke Williams, took control early. Despite having only 37% of possession, they were clinical in front of goal. They had scored five times with over 25 minutes of the match still to play. Watford, a Championship side, struggled to contain the League One team's attacks. Williams later told reporters that his team had to work extremely hard to deny spaces, acknowledging that Watford moved the ball well and quickly.
Striker Harry Leonard was the key figure, scoring two goals on the night. The 22-year-old, who joined from Blackburn Rovers last September, now has four goals this season. He scored a penalty in the previous round against Bristol Rovers and a last-gasp winner against Mansfield Town just days before this match. Leonard netted 17 goals in all competitions last season. Williams praised his pressing, saying, "Harry's always the first one to jump out and press the opposition." Winger Bolu Shofowoke, aged 17, scored Peterborough's fourth goal.
Luke Williams was delighted with his team's performance and work rate. "I can't say anything other than they were excellent," he said in a report published by the BBC. He highlighted that his team was the only one to win by a five-goal margin three times in the league last season. Williams also addressed transfer speculation around Leonard, with the window set to close the following Tuesday. He joked that Leonard told him to hang up on any transfer calls, stating the player wants to stay at Peterborough and hates other teams.
The heavy cup defeat is a setback as Watford focus on their league campaign. The team has made a solid start in the Championship but will need to address defensive issues shown in this match. Several players are currently sidelined, including Jeremy Ngakia, Kwadwo Baah, and Marc Bola. Managerial focus will now shift entirely to the league, where the gap to the top is narrow. Fans can track the team's progress in the standings.
The immediate task is to regroup for the league game against West Ham. This cup exit allows for full concentration on climbing the Championship table, where every point is important in the early season.
