English Premier League: King reigns supreme as Watford beat Everton 5-2 for Ranieri’s first win

Liverpool: Joshua King grabbed a hat-trick on his return to former club Everton in Watford’s stunning 5-2 Premier League victory at Goodison Park as the visitors claimed their first win under new manager Claudio Ranieri.

Everton were quick out off the blocks, scoring inside three minutes when Demarai Gray sprinted down the left, danced past a challenge and crossed the ball into the six-yard box where Tom Davies stuck his foot out for his first goal of the season.

The lead lasted only 10 minutes, however, when King stole in at the back post on a set-piece to fire the ball into the roof of the net after Everton failed to clear the initial delivery.

Former club

Everton struggled to make inroads after the early goal and it took the introduction of Richarlison in the second half for them to go ahead as the Brazilian got on the end of Michael Keane’s whipped cross to head home against his former club.

But Watford silenced the Goodison Park crowd with two goals in two minutes when Juraj Kucka first levelled from another set-piece with a header before King scored his second from a counter-attack after Everton committed too many players forward.

King completed his hat-trick when Everton’s defence failed to clear a cross into the box, turning Keane before firing it past Pickford, before Emmanuel Dennis scored a fifth in stoppage time.

First game

Callum Wilson’s magnificent overhead kick cancelled out Christian Benteke’s opener as Newcastle held Crystal Palace to a draw in the Magpies’ first game since the departure of manager Steve Bruce.

Rodrigo kept his nerve to convert an injury-time penalty as Leeds snatched a draw from their clash with Wolves at Elland Road. Wolves looked to be heading for a fourth successive top-flight win for the first time since 1972 after Hwang Hee-chan gave them a first-half lead.

Maxwel Cornet scored twice as Burnley claimed a point in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Southampton at St Mary’s.