Date: 3rd March 2016 at 7:01pm
Written by:

Name: Craig Cathcart
Position: Defender

3 March 2015 - Sky Bet Championship - Watford v Fulham - Craig Cathcart of Watford - Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Cathcart has featured in every single Premier League game for Watford this season, until Wednesday night’s visit to Manchester United.

Were you expecting Troy Deeney? You won’t be the only one, don’t worry. Despite the Hornets talisman scoring both of Watford’s only league goals at Crystal Palace last month, it is defender Craig Cathcart who picks up this imaginary gong due to his impressive displays in defence throughout February.

The 27-year-old, who has 23 international caps for Northern Ireland and is expected to feature for his country at the 2016 UEFA European Championships this summer in France, endured a rock solid month to help Quique Sanchez Flores’ side ride out a rough patch of form by keeping two clean sheets in their four league outings last month.

Alongside the brilliance of goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes between the sticks; Cathcart’s doggedness and resoluteness formed a formidable back line for the Vicarage Road outfit, which helped Watford keep impressive shut outs against defending league champions Chelsea and fellow newly promoted side AFC Bournemouth.

Cathcart’s impact in the last line of defence saved the Hornets from defeat and dropping even more points from those respective stalemates, with Flores’ men only conceding just once against title contenders Tottenham (1-0) and twice at Crystal Palace (2-1).

However the centre-half was dropped to the bench for Wednesday night’s visit of Manchester United, with Juan Mata scoring the match winner just seven minutes from time. It makes you wonder; would Watford had kept a clean sheet at Old Trafford if Cathcart had faced his former club? I guess we’ll never know now.

 
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