Slavisa Jokanovic began his reign as Watford manager with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough, after goals from Odion Ighalo, Almen Abdi and Matej Vydra condemned the hosts to their fifth straight game without a victory.
Ighalo (24) gave Jokanovic's Watford the lead when he latched on to a teasing Vydra cross before passing into an unguarded goal, despite Wednesday's protests of offside.
Abdi (38) then doubled the advantage when he met a Fernando Forestieri pass and bent the ball past the Owls' Kieren Westwood who was unable to smother the weak effort.
A persistent Vydra (70) then made sure of the three points when he had the freedom of the penalty area, as he calmly chipped in the Hornets' third of the game to send his side top of the table.
Watford had the better of the early exchanges as tricky winger Forestieri tested Westwood, but his shot was comfortably saved by the Wednesday number one.
Stuart Gray's side responded well to the Watford pressure as striker Gary Madine was able to pluck down a long ball and let fire from range, but his volley failed to trouble Heurelho Gomes' goal.
However it was the Hornets who broke the deadlock first as Vydra freed the offside trap before teeing up strike partner Ighalo who tapped into the empty net.
The Owls continued to press forward as they searched for a route back into the game, but Madine's ambitious chip was well dealt with by the Brazilian Gomes.
Despite Wednesday's positive reaction to the deficit, Watford doubled their lead minutes before the break, as an incisive Hornets breakaway allowed Forestieri to pick out Abdi, who then curled an effort underneath an unfortunate Westwood.
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A rejuvenated home side began the second period on the front foot as a Jacques Maghoma pile driver forced Gomes into a good save, before Madine headed a Liam Palmer delivery over the bar.
Watford then threatened to put the game beyond doubt with yet another breakaway, but Ighalo failed to replicate his earlier goal as he sent Vydra's deflected cross off target.
A dominant Watford were then the width of a post away from claiming all three points midway through the second half, as Forestieri breached Wednesday's backline before sliding the ball off the woodwork.
Owls substitute Royston Drenthe appeared to give the hosts the spark that they required but the Reading loanee's attempt at goal was expertly tipped round the post by Watford's number one.
The three points were finally wrapped up minutes later, though, following a flowing move which saw Vydra bearing down on goal, before he cleverly dinked the ball into the roof of the net.
Wednesday could have salvaged a consolation goal late on, but a Glenn Loovens header rattled the post following a Drenthe corner.
