Watford welcome Leeds United to Vicarage Road in a relegation six-pointer as both teams fight for survival.
Victory would see Watford climb above Burnley into 18th but potentially stay in the bottom three on goal difference, if Everton lose in the lunchtime kick-off elsewhere.
Leeds meanwhile can climb to 15th with a win if Newcastle lose to Wolves on Friday evening.
Team News
Nicolas Nkoulou is a doubt for Watford as he continues to build up his match fitness.
Kwadwo Baah (ankle) is nearing a return but won’t be risked until he is declared match fit by club doctors.
Leeds could welcome Joe Gelhardt and Leo Fuhr back after the pair recovered from respective thigh and knee injuries.
Jamie Shackleton (calf), Tyler Roberts (hamstring), Patrick Bamford (foot) and Junior Firpo (knee) remain absent.
Stat Attack
- Watford are yet to beat Leeds United in the Premier League, having lost all three previous meetings (L3).
- Leeds won 2-1 in their only previous Premier League visit to Watford in October 1999.
- Each of Watford’s last two meetings against Leeds in all competitions have been settled by 1-0 results, with both teams winning once each.
- Two of Watford’s three goals scored at home in 2022 have been netted by Moussa Sissoko, with Cucho Hernandez providing one goal.
- Leeds have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last eight Premier League matches played away from Elland Road, during which they scored 11 goals and conceded 27 goals.
Prediction
Having been leapfrogged by Burnley in midweek and Leeds eight points further ahead, this match is now surely a must-win for Watford’s survival chances given that they could enter this match six points behind Everton depending on what happens at lunchtime across at Goodison Park.
Roy Hodgson’s Hornets though should take confidence into this match from how they played on the counter-attack in last weekend’s defeat at Liverpool, although two defensive errors ultimately proved the difference.
Leeds meanwhile found themselves in a proper competitive fight against Southampton where a draw was a fair result, even though Jesse Marsch’s Whites showed excellent pressing and attacking ability on top of solid consistent defending.
This match though is realistically crucial to Watford’s survival prospects but if Leeds can apply themselves like they did last weekend and target the Hornets’ defence, I can see an away win here but it should be another tough game for the visitors.
Prediction: Watford 1-2 Leeds
Result: Watford 0-3 Leeds
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