Two goals from Troy Deeney in injury time ensured that Villa lost their 11th consecutive game, despite outplaying Watford for a majority of the game.
Villa caretaker manager, Eric Black, made a number of changes from the side that lost to Southampton last weekend, as well as switching formation to play five defenders and also gave a full debut to Kevin Toner after his substitute appearance last weekend.
Watford started off the better side, with Ben Watson coming closest to opening the scoring for Watford when his shot hit the woodwork.
However, Villa took the lead soon after, when in the 28th minute, Ciaran Clark powered a header past Gomes to put Villa ahead.
But Watford were level on the stroke of half-time, after Abdi curled a free-kick up and over a static Villa wall and into the bottom corner past a stranded Mark Bunn.
In the second half, Villa were once again the better side and Eric Black’s side were in front once more when Jordan Ayew slotted past Gomes in the 48th minute. Rudy Gestede should have put Villa 3-1 up moments later, but he could only slice his effort into the stand behind Gomes’ goal.
However, all of Villa’s good work was about to suffer a hammer blow, when Cissokho was sent off for fouling Anya in the 73rd minute. The referee, Anthony Taylor, had judged Cissokho as being the last man and therefore gave the former Valencia defender his marching orders and left Villa to play out the remaining minutes with 10 men.
It looked as though Villa were going to hold on for only their fourth league win of the season until Troy Deeney levelled for the hosts in the 91st minute. Then, just moments later, Deeney had his second and Watford’s third and left the Villa fans packed in behind the goal to reflect on a collapse which symbolized Villa’s disastrous season.
Villa face Newcastle at Villa Park on Saturday, before facing Arsenal at the Emirates on the final day of the season.
