Sunderland were shoved another step closer to relegation as Miguel Britos fired Watford to a 1-0 victory.
Uruguayan defender Britos headed his first Hornets goal to leave David Moyes' strugglers still seven points adrift of safety and with games running out.
Watford had been frustrated by Sunderland keeper Jordan Pickford, who made a string of fine saves to deny M'Baye Niang and Abdoulaye Doucoure.
But Pickford could not prevent Britos pouncing after a goalmouth scramble to condemn Sunderland to another defeat.
One goal is all you need to beat the Black Cats at the moment, as they have now not scored in their last five matches and not even Jermain Defoe, fresh from his England renaissance, looked likely to end their drought.