Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson made three changes to the side that suffered their first home Championship defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend.
Liam Moore started at right-back in the absence of the suspended Ritchie De Laet, while Matty James and Ben Marshall took the places of Lloyd Dyer and Jamie Vardy in midfield.
Paul Gallagher and Neil Danns were included on the substitutes' bench.
1 min: David Nugent charges down a back-pass and former Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia strikes it straight against the oncoming striker. It could have gone anywhere but, fortunately for Almunia, it runs behind for a goal-kick.
5 min: Troy Deeney uses a lovely piece of skill to get past Zak Whitbread and charge into the box but he fires wide. Watford look dangerous on the attack and have had the best of the opening exchanges.
11 min: Watford catch City on the break and Deeney has another chance to put the home side ahead from the left side of the box but he fires harmlessly wide. Worrying signs for City.
12 min: A poor clearing header by Whitbread gives the ball straight back to Watford in City's half and Deeney is played through. Wes Morgan comes across well to cover.
14 min: GOAL 1-0 It is only a matter of time before the home side take the lead. A wonderful through-ball from Fernando Forestieri, who is looking extremely dangerous, feeds in Almen Abdi, who beats the offside-trap and strokes it home. No more than Watford deserve.
19 min: The ball falls to Forestieri on the edge of the area and he fires low to Kasper Schmeichel's left. It bounces just in front of the City keeper, who has not seen it until late, but the Dane gets down very well to save.
21 min: A long ball from inside the Watford half finds Deeney on the edge of the City area. It is laid off to Daniel Pudil on the edge of the area who fires wide. It is one-way traffic.
28 min: Anthony Knockaert mesmerises and weaves his way into the box to play in Ben Marshall, but the winger hits it straight at Almunia. It is City's first shot on target and it should really be 1-1.
30 min: Marshall's shot is blocked away for a corner which is whipped in by Knockaert. Morgan rises above the rest and his header looks to be in but it is cleared off the line by Jonathan Hogg. This is much more like it from City.
35 min: Tommie Hoban finds himself on the end of a cross inside the City area and fires at goal, but it is straight at Schmeichel. He should have doubled Watford's lead. It is end-to-end stuff.
37 min: Nugent works his way into the Watford box but his side-footed attempt is far too timid to trouble Almunia.
39 min: City are throwing men forward in search of an equaliser and, after a period of sustained pressure, get caught on the break. Hogg hits it from distance but his shot is off-target.
42 min: Knockaert goes down easily in the Watford box, which does not sit well with the home support.
H-T: Watford 1 City 0
45 min: Danny Drinkwater makes way for Lloyd Dyer in a tactical switch.
57 min: Lloyd Doyley whips the ball into the City box and Deeney directs his header towards the far corner, but the sprawling hand of Schmeichel tips it wide.
58 min: Appeals for a penalty as Nugent is brought down by Almunia. Referee Andy D'Urso waves away the protests.
62 min: Nigel Pearson makes a double change and brings on Marco Futacs and Martyn Waghorn to replace Knockaert and Marshall.
68 min: GOAL 2-0 A clearance falls to Pudil just inside the City box. He fires a thunderous shot towards the top corner which Schmeichel saves well, but the Dane can only parry it against the bar. It falls at the feet of Forestieri, who makes no mistake.
71 min: GOAL 2-1 City are right back in this game now as Paul Konchesky's cross finds its way to Nugent at the back post, who smashes it into the far corner of the net. That wakes up the City crowd.
74 min: Hogg finds space on the edge of the area and thunders an effort on target but it is punched away by Schmeichel.
76 min: City break away through substitute Dyer, who plays a neat one-two with Waghorn, and Dyer is through. But Abdi covers well for the home side and makes a fine last-ditch challenge to deny the City winger.
84 min: Whitbread picks up his second yellow card after a mistimed slide tackle and is given his marching orders by referee D'Urso.
91 min: Watford are really making the extra man pay and City have been caught three-on-two on the break a number of times. The game should really have been put to bed but some strong defending from Morgan keeps it at 2-1.
F-T: Watford 2 City 1
