Watford vs Manchester United, RESULT: Jesse Lingard stunner keeps Jose Mourinho's men in contention

Thanks for your company!

Another big, big win for Manchester United.

Those points keep them within distance of high-flying City. Watford currently sit in 8th, despite their spirited efforts.

Here's how the league table is shaping up.

READ IAN LADYMAN'S ON THE WHISTLE REPORT FROM AN INCREDIBLE EVENING OF FOOTBALL AT VICARAGE ROAD.

And that's that. The whistle blows on a frenetic night of football.

90+3mins: Zlatan gives the ball away poorly and Carillo is off again, burning down the wing.

Watford can't match him for stride and play slows.

They retain possession but United get back. Hectic end here.

Watford 2-4 Manchester United

90+2 MINS: Carillo again pressures, causing Lindelof to head behind.

Zlatan clears the corners only as far as Doucoure who puts it back in.

Dominant, De Gea comes to claim.

88mins: Watford battle on and hone in on the byline.

Valencia puts it behind for a corner.

It's headed away by Pogba and United are straight onto the second ball.

87mins: And now Zlatan comes on. Replacing the man of the moment himself Lingard.

This game is seeing an incredible finish!

United were preparing to bring on Ibrahimovic but the ball didnt go out.

Good job it didn't. Lingard runs half the field, alone, weaving through the Watford defence.

He has no support but it doesn't matter, he slots it home. Incredible goal

The noise inside Vicarage Road is now deafening. The home fans believe, and this is no doubt translating to the players.

Mourinho is playing his trump card now...

84mins: The pressure has paid off!

United were penned in and Watford used the build up play well. 

A drilled cross is played into Doucoure and he volleys first time, straight into the corner.

His fifth goal of the season and Watford are right back in this!

Watford 2-3 Manchester United

82mins: Watford flood the box, hungry for a second.

United look a bit rattled as Young chests it down in the area. Watford immediately scream for hand ball, but their protests are rightly waved away.

80mins: Femenia crosses in from deep and Deeney is right up there.

He's winning that header all day long, but the power is lacking.

De Gea collects.

77mins: Deeney tucks it into the bottom left as De Gea goes the wrong way.

Life-line?

Watford 1-3 Manchester United

It's Carillo on the counter, he enters the box and chops the ball inside.

His legs are taken from under him by Marcos Rojo and it's a pen....

75mins: Another quick-fire chance for Lukaku.

This time it's to the side of the area. He whips a shot across the goalmouth, narrowly wide of the post.

That was closer, but he should have buried the first. And we have a counter attack...

74mins: That was it, that was the moment for Lukaku.

Pogba robs the ball and United are through on goal, clean sight.

Lukaku gets the ball on the penalty spot but thinks too much about it. He doesn't know what to do as Gomes bounds out and it's saved.

73mins: Doucoure runs through the United defence using some lovely flicks. 

He shapes into a shooting position, and completely fluffs his lines. 

It's poor, as it at least deserved a shot on target.

Perhaps a summary of Watford's evening.

Watford 0-3 Manchester United

71mins: Final roll of the dice for Silva.

Andre Gray is off and a big cheer goes up for the returning Troy Deeney.

70mins: Mariappa lashes a careless effort into row Z as United regroup.

Zlatan is out now to warm up, while Tory Deeney is preparing to come on.

69mins: Watford putting some pressure on now, attacking down the left.

Carrillo is making a nuisance of himself straight away and a ball into the box is sloppily dealt with by United.

It turns into a game of pinball with the ball pinging off everything, before they eventually clear.

Watford 0-3 Manchester United

65mins: Masked man Zieglaar is getting frustrated and cuts down Lingard 35 yards out.

A free-kick is quickly taken and put behind by Watford for a corner.

United wasteful with the delivery, Pogba manages to connect but it bobbles to Gomes.

64mins: Marcus Rashford on for Anthony Martial.

64mins: A quick counter sees another Watford cross and another Richarlison header.

The Brazilian can't keep it down this time, but he's showing his abilities in the air.

Hornets still have some life in them yet.

Watford 0-3 Manchester United

62mins: United cutting up the wings again, this time Valencia and Lingard linking up.

The latter tries to slip it across to Lukaku on the penalty spot, but the ball is poor.

Seems they all want to set him up to get him out of this current slump, but nothing is coming off.

Meanwhile Rashford is preparing to come on.

The away fans are loving this. 

It's freezing at Vicarage Road but they don't care. A huge chant goes up for Cristiano Ronaldo - Viva Ronaldo echoing around.

Seems they haven't forgotten about him then.

And that's it for Hughes, he's hauled straight off. Silva taking no chances.

He's replaced by Pereya while Prodl also comes off for Carrillo.

55mins: Hughes is sent through and lunges to keep the ball in play.

At the same time he ends up being carried off the pitch by momentum. Herrera collects and clears effortlessly, but now Watford have bad news.

Hughes is clutching his hamstring, it looks like it's gone.

54mins: Matic comes off now, to be replaced by Ander Herrera.

53mins: And just like that we have a quick counter and Martial races down the middle.

He finds Lukaku, but a little too late. It needed to be released quicker.

The Belgian squares across the six yard box but the chance has gone.

Watford 0-3 Manchester United

51mins: Watford win a corner after some persistant play from Richarlison sees Lindelof scramble behind.

The Hornets come close but Rojo heads behind for another corner.

This time it's cleared, but not before Mariappa calls for a pen.

49mins: United pressure in the far corner of the pitch wins a corner, but Watford stand firm.

Pogba is calling for his team-mates to calm down, as this game risks becoming an open one once more.

Regardless, though, United are three up. Some mountain for Watford to climb..

46mins: Early intent from the hosts, Cleverley drives from midfield and puts in a cross.

He has runners, but De Gea gathers.

Watford 0-3 Manchester United

And the half-time whistle blows. The end to a hectic 45minutes of football.

46mins: It was so nearly a goal for the Hornets. 

A cross comes in, Richarlison rises highest and hits the bar.

De Gea looked beaten. It was against the run of play but Watford show they see have a threat in them.

Final couple of minutes to play here.

Watford 0-3 Manchester United

44mins: It should be four!

Lukaku hammers a shot at Gomes who can only parry to his side.

Lingard is the man closing down and running in he gets a side-footed shot away on goal.

Gomes is straight back up though and pulls off a spectacular save. United could, and should, be out of sight.

42mins: Young can't beat the rising wall this time, and Watford immediately hoof it clear.

40mins: Straight up to the other end though as United break, and it's another free-kick on the edge.

Mariappa is booked. Young will take this one again. Similar position to before...

Watford 0-3 Manchester United

39mins: Ziegelaar fires in a deep cross but Smalling immediately deals with it. Chests down and clears his lines.

Watford come again though and Pogba has to track back and do his defensive duties. A bit of urgency from the Hornets now.

Rojo grapples Gray and he's in the book.

36mins: Watford are trying to press back into this but that third United strike has knocked the wind out of their sails.

They can't keep the ball now and United are penning them in.

Silvas's side need to get to half-time now without sustaining further damage.

Young's free-kick was that good even Mourinho and his United staff were surprised...

The cameras flashed away as Young put on a free-kick masterclass and left Gomes helpless between the sticks.

It's another and this time it falls to winger Martial.

He's found by Pogba and sets himself with a beautiful first touch on the edge, following a quick counter. 

Getting eyes on the Watford keeper, he keeps his effort down low to pick out the bottom corner.

Watford 0-3 Manchester United

Young's first hit, captured by the cameras.

Maximum back-lift from the United man, whose effort blazed past Gomes instantly.

And he's scored it!

It's two for United and two for Young!

Stunning hit. Up and over the wall instantly, beautiful pace and curve. Everything about that was spot on. United in the driving seat now.

23mins: Pogba drives at the box and Watford can't keep up with him.

Doucoure gambles, pulls him down, and receives a yellow.

Free-kick United, Young to take. Dangerous.

It was a quick passage of play but United have first blood. 

Pogba holds it up in the middle before finding Lingard on the edge. The midfielder holds it while support arrives out on the wing from Ashley Young.

Back at the ground where it all started for him, the winger hits a first time effort hard and low. Bottom corner, no chance of saving that.

United ahead.

16mins: United back up again and it's Martial burning down the left flank.

He's got that uncanny way of cutting inside and making it so obvious what he's doing... but no-one is still able to tackle him.

Similar to that of Arjen Robben, he cuts inside and leaves players in his wake. But the shot is blocked and Watford take it up the other end.

Still looking to find its full tempo, but this game is end to end so far.

14mins: United make some steady progress on the right, until Pogba wins a throw near the corner and takes it quickly... to no-one.

Bizarre. Clear communication slip. He throws it straight out for a goal kick.

12mins: Again Watford split the middle of the park.

Hughes takes space centrally and places a nice pass to Richarlison on the edge.

He's tries to tee up Doucoure but he's tackled instantly.

Cries for a free-kick, but nothing is going.

10mins: Watford cut down the right again, Feminia linking up with Hughes.

It's a troublesome area for United so far, but Rojo is able to put it behind for a corner.

It's pinged in and met by Richalison, but his header only gets as far as De Gea.

7mins: Femenia puts in a great ball in the danger area.

Richarlison stretches to flick it goalwards, but is denied by a sprawling Lindelof.

Top defending, it goes behind for a goal kick.

5mins: Quick breaking from Watford.

Clear to see already there is confidence in this side, from their recent wins over West Ham and Newcastle.

Vicarage Road in strong voice also. They all fancy this one.

4mins: Martial gets up after ending up in heap. A collision with Mariappa sees him come off worse.

He'll shake it off.

2mins: Run of the mill start, both teams getting to grips with each other.

United break down the left is quickly stemmed before Watford go on the attack.

Big cheer for Will Hughes who gets on the ball.

We're under way.

WATFORD: Gomes; Feminia, Mariappa, Prodl, Kabasele; Zeegelaar, Doucoure, Cleverley, Hughes; Richarlison, Gray

MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea; Valencia, Lindelof, Smalling, Rojo, Young; Matic, Pogba, Lingard; Lukaku, Martial

The players are gathering in the tunnel. Kick-off is almost upon us.

Contrary to the constant opinions of club legends and pundits, Mourinho probably doesn't care how his side play, so long as they keep putting three points on the board.

With rivals City still unbeaten and showing no signs of slowing down, every win is paramount right now.

'They're winning games but just not playing great football.

'There isn't many links in this side, they don't seem to have partnerships between them.

'Let's see what happens tonight, hopefully it'll improve..'

Marco Silva has been tipped for a job at the helm of one of the Premier League big boys one day.

How better to improve your stock than downing Manchester United?

Tom Cleverley is coming up against his former club this evening, though is confident his side can upset the apple cart.

Youngster Will Hughes could be one to watch this evening, as he bids to make it three goals in his last three.

Signed in the summer by the Hornets, Hughes is now showing what he can do on the big stage.

In the win over West Ham, which kick-started Hughes' scoring run, the midfielder hit the back of the net with his first ever shot in the yellow of Watford.

Not a bad ways to get things going...

One big issue which surrounded United this week was the status of Romelu Lukaku.

The striker was seen on camera appearing to kick out at Brighton defender Gaitan Bong in the previous match.

It wasn't picked up by the ref at the time, though an FA assessment of the incident since has deemed Lukaku's actions not worthy of a ban.

READ THE FULL REPORT AND SEE THE INCIDENT HERE.

And here are the men in yellow who will be hosting United..

The team jotted down by Mourinho this evening...

The £75million man's purple patch is over and he's struggling for goals.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is back for the Red Devils, though perhaps isn't fully fit enough to be starting games.

What is the remedy for Mourinho? How does he get the big Belgian firing once more?

There is only one solution according to Sportsmail's MARTIN KEOWN, he must be dropped.

Read the Arsenal legend's full opinion on Lukaku here.

Tonight's game will again get behind the Stonewall rainbow laces campaign and turn Vicarage Road into a scene of colour.

The initiative aims to promote the inclusion of the LGBT community and show that the beautiful game is one for all.

So, how would three points this evening set either of these sides up?

For United it would keep them within distance of rivals City at the top.

The gap would again be reduced to five points, that is at least until City's clash with Southampton tomorrow night.

Victory for Watford will hike them up to fifth, level with Tottenham.

In doing so it would also stitch together a solid run of three wins from their last three.

Not the easiest game to call...

The Hornets will be boosted this evening by the return of talisman Troy Deeney. 

The big striker is back and ready to get down to business, following a suspension during the recent clash with Stoke which kept him out of action for three games.

Can he shake up the Red Devils' back line?

And so it's back to Premier League duty for Manchester United.

Watford the hosts, as Jose Mourinho's men arrive at Vicarage Road knowing a win is vital if they are to stay on the tail of runaway leaders Manchester City.

Following their less than convincing victory over Brighton on Saturday, the pressure is on.

Watford enter the tie on the back of their commanding 3-0 win over Newcastle at St James' Park, hoping to carry that form into tonight's clash.

Stay with Sportsmail all evening for all the action as it happens live, with our reporters from the ground.