Watford hit Stoke City for four in Bilic's first game at helm

There had been anger among some fans following the sacking of Rob Edwards, but the players responded by producing a statement of intent under their new boss.

The Hornets can and will play better – they were still guilty of conceding possession too cheaply on occasions – but the home side offered very little in front of goal. But once the visitors had the second goal and the introduction of the returning Imran Louza gave them more control they completed a straightforward victory as Ismaila Sarr, Ken Sema, Keinan Davis and Vakoun Bayo all got on the scoresheet.

Bilic made four changes from the team selected by Edwards for the 2-2 draw with Sunderland, all of which were effectively enforced.

Kortney Hause was only fit enough for the bench, while Craig Cathcart, William Troost-Ekong and Joao Pedro were all ruled out through injury. In came Mario Gaspar, Christian Kabasele and Francisco Sierralta, while Sarr was available to start after being away with Senegal in the international break. Another positive was the involvement of Louza in a match-day squad for the first time this season.

Watford started the better in a low key opening to the game and were rewarded in the 12th minute when Hassane Kamara flighted in a superb cross from the left and Sarr ran in behind to head past the isolated Josef Bursik to get the Bilic era off to the ideal start.

The Hornets remained in command and twice went close to doubling their advantage in almost as many minutes midway through the opening period.

Kamara was again the supplier of the first opportunity, another cross from close to the byline met in the air by Sarr who saw his header rebound off the near post.

Soon after the Senegal forward picked the pocket of Aden Flint on the right side of the 18-yard box, working the ball back to Keinan Davis who in turn found Sema and his stinging drive was turned onto the post by Bursik.

The hosts had struggled offensively but they did begin to offer more of a threat in the latter stages of the first half, helped by Watford often conceding possession cheaply, but the closest they came was when Liam Delap curled the ball onto the roof of the net on the angle.

Another great opening was spurned by the visitors within two minutes of the restart when Sierralta sent a clear heading opportunity over from the edge of the six-yard box from a Gaspar free-kick.

Daniel Bachmann was forced into his first save of the contest soon after, getting across his goal to keep out Lewis Baker’s free-kick from distance.

Louza made his return to action as a replacement for Asprilla just before the hour and soon after the Hornets got the all-important second goal.

Stoke were unable to fully clear their lines from a cross, Hamza Choudhury played the ball back into the area where Davis challenged Bursik and the ball broke for Sema on the left side of the area. Former Hornet Ben Wilmot did very well to block his first effort but Sema was able to bundle in from close range to make it 2-0.

The Hornets were now in control and they went on to ram home their advantage emphatically.

A swift move instigated by a lovely pass from Louza saw Davis denied by Bursik, but with his next opportunity the Aston Villa loanee rifled a shot home after being set up by Sarr.

Louza should have made four moments later but the substitute was again the supplier for the fourth, having all the time in the world to pick out a cross after a short corner had been played back to him, hitting a cross-shot to the back post for substitute Bayo to slide in the fourth.

Stoke City: Bursik; Wilmot, Flint, Fox; Sterling (Clarke 77), Baker, Laurent, Smallbone, Fosu-Henry; Delap, Gayle (Campbell 72). Subs not used: Bonham, Jagielka, Wreight-Phillips, Taylor, Sparrow.

Watford: Bachmann; Gaspar, Kabasele, Sierralta, Kamara; Choudhury, Kayembe; Sarr (Bayo 81), Asprilla (Louza 59), Sema (Hungbo 87); Davis (Gosling 87). Subs not used: Okoye, Hause, Morris.