Premier League winners and losers: Win the Manchester derby, win the league

Loser: Marvin Zeegelaar

At the beginning of the season, a Watford vs. Burnley match in the middle of December would’ve excited only the fans of the respective teams. Neither side were regarded as European contenders early on. However, after nearly half of the season gone, the teams sit ninth and seventh in the table. The styles of play from the two clubs contrast greatly, and neutral viewers could be forgiven for expecting a solid clash between the two.

Thanks in part to Marvin Zeegelaar, the match never got off its feet as much as he did in the 38th minute. The Dutchman went into an ill-advised tackle late in the first half that rightfully drew a red card from the referee’s pocket. Burnley capitalized almost immediately afterwards, then set up a parked bus that Watford couldn’t get around in the second period.

The foul itself was an obvious red card, too. Zeegelaar recklessly slid into Steven Defour two-footed, caught more of the man than the ball and left a leg hanging in the air to justify the referees decision. The tackle may not have been malicious, but it was ill advised and brash, and gave Burnley the necessary ammunition they needed to wrangle all three points on the day.

Sean Dyche and Marco Silva have worked wonders with their squads this season. Both managers have their teams in the top half of the table vying for European spots come the end of the season. Burnley sport a meager plus-three goal differential, but results are all that matters in the end. They proved that again on Saturday, thanks in part to a boneheaded challenge from Zeegelaar.