Odion Ighalo's 10th goal of the campaign earned Watford a 1-0 victory at Sunderland on Saturday that saw the promoted side rise to seventh place in the Premier League.

The Nigerian striker converted a fourth-minute cross from Allan Nyom at the Stadium of Light and Quique Sanchez Flores's men withheld late pressure to register a third consecutive Premier League win for the first time.

While Watford climb three places to seventh, within touching distance of the European places, Sam Allardyce's Sunderland remain a point from safety in the relegation zone.

Both teams will now brace themselves for daunting festive fixtures, with Watford and Sunderland scheduled to face Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool, while Watford must also contend with Tottenham Hotspur.

Ighalo has been a key figure in Watford's fine adaptation to life in the top flight and he took less than four minutes to make his mark on a soggy afternoon in northeast England.

Watford right-back Nyom sent a ball into the box from the right and Ighalo threw himself in front of Sebastian Coates at the near post to toe the ball past goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon.

He came close to claiming a second shortly after, skinning John O'Shea but seeing his shot blocked on the line by a sliding defender, with Jose Manuel Jurado firing the rebound against the post.

With Sunderland toiling, Allardyce made an early tactical adjustment, introducing Jack Rodwell for DeAndre Yedlin and switching from a back three to a back four.

Pantilimon was called upon to repel a curler from Etienne Capoue, but Sunderland finished the half strongly.

Fabio Borini shot wide and Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes was obliged to tip the ball over the bar after Miguel Britos headed a Yann M'Vila free-kick towards his own goal.

Sunderland continued to push in the second half, but Watford initially succeeded in keeping them at arm's length, with Gomes equal to a long-range effort from Rodwell.

Allardyce added Adam Johnson and Jermain Defoe to the mix, the pair replacing Borini and Steven Fletcher, but although Johnson teed up Defoe to score in the 76th minute, it was ruled out for offside.

The hosts finally put Watford under serious pressure in the closing stages, but Duncan Watmore's shot swerved narrowly wide and Gomes produced a brilliant low save to thwart Defoe.