Watford were beaten 3-1 away at Crystal Palace in their final game of pre-season, in a match that will have done little to convince the away supporters that things are going to be simple for them this season.

A Wilfried Zaha brace had the Hornets in an invidious position, while their own goalscoring opportunities were in short supply, as they were defeated by top-flight opponents for the third time from as many attempts this summer.

The Ivorian scored either side of half time in a game where Watford struggled to match the pace and rhythm of their hosts in their final outing ahead of their return to the Premier League, hinting at a tough challenge ahead.

Troy Deeney's cross late on was deflected into his own goal by Christian Benteke to halve the deficit, but by that point it mattered little.

The Belgian made amends soon after, heading in Palace's third of the game from a corner. 

With the meaningful action commencing next Saturday, head coach Xisco Munoz fielded a team that could be close to the one that lines up against Aston Villa at Vicarage Road in a week’s time, although with ten new arrivals and the eventual inclusion in the squad of Cucho Hernandez, it could be a while before all are properly bedded in.

Daniel Bachmann began the match in goal behind a back four of Jeremy Ngakia, William Troost-Ekong, Craig Cathcart and Danny Rose. A midfield was made up of a deep-lying Peter Etebo with Ken Sema and Tom Cleverley sitting further forward. Emmanuel Dennis, Ismaila Sarr and Hernandez were selected as an attacking trident.

There was little in the way of creativity from either side in the opening quarter-of-an-hour with the only real chance going Palace’s way.

James McArthur’s floated ball into the area from a cleared corner found Zaha in acres of space at the back post, but the hosts’ captain took his eye off the ball and found nothing but air with the swing of his leg.

Etebo was presented with the Hornets’ first sight of goal in the fixture around ten minutes later after Cheikhou Kouyate headed Ngakia’s cross from the right over the bar for a corner.

The Nigerian met Cleverley’s delivery in the centre but couldn’t prevent the ball from ballooning high over Vicente Guaita’s crossbar.

Palace were gifted the opening goal on the half-hour mark when Rose clumsily clattered into the back of Zaha who was collecting Tyrick Mitchell’s delivery from deep. The winger stepped up and beat Bachmann, despite the keeper diving the right way and getting a hand to the effort.

Watford, to their credit, responded well and within eight minutes of going behind had forced a brilliant save from Guaita and hit the post.

First Dennis’s free kick from the edge of the area looked to be creeping in, but the keeper flew across his line to turn it around the post. Then Hernandez guided Sema’s cross from the resulting corner back across goal, only to be denied by the woodwork with the Eagles’ keeper this time flat-footed.

That was as exciting as it got for the visitors in the opening half however and they made their way down the tunnel a goal down at the break.

The hosts emerged for the second half looking more dangerous and had doubled their lead within nine minutes of the restart.

Zaha skipped away from Ngakia’s half-hearted attempt at a challenge with consummate ease and fired past Bachmann at his near post, via a deflection from Troost-Ekong.

New signing Juraj Kucka was brought on with 25 minutes to go, alongside Kiko Femenia, replacing Rose and Ngakia, with Sema filling in at left back.

The changes were successful insofar as they stunted Palace’s attack and prevented further attempts on Bachmann’s goal.

However, they couldn’t change things too significantly at the other end.

Hernandez did well to fashion a chance for himself after latching onto Cleverley’s through ball, but he failed to hit the ball with enough power to truly worry Guaita, who made light work of the shot.

Meanwhile, two of the home side’s substitutes almost combined to find a third goal, with Benteke’s cutback rifled goalwards by Reece Hannam, but Troost-Ekong deflected it behind for a corner.

Deeney and Imran Louza replaced Cleverley and Dennis to try and improve Watford's attacking output and they momentarily halved the deficit when the number nine's attempted cross was headed past his own keeper by Benteke.

However, the Belgian attoned for his mistake just minutes later, heading in a corner and restoring the lead.

Louza's shot in the final minute of normal time went close, but was off target, and the final whistle blew soon after, confirming the defeat.