2024-25 Sky Bet Championship: Week Nine – Saturday

Watford host Middlesbrough at Vicarage Road in a huge Championship encounter.

Depending upon results elsewhere prior to kick-off, Watford could go as high as fifth with a win.

Middlesbrough meanwhile could go third with a if Sheffield United and West Brom both lose, and Blackburn fail to beat Plymouth.

 

Team News

Tom Dele-Bashiru and Daniel Jebbison could return for Watford, after the pair missed the Hornets’ midweek 3-0 loss at Preston due to minor injuries.

Daniel Bachmann (muscle) could return subject to late fitness checks but Kevin Keben (knee), Jeremy Ngakia and Francisco Sierralta (both muscle) remain sidelined.

Boro could welcome Matt Clarke back into contention after he missed their wins over Stoke and West Brom in the past week.

Tommy Conway (unspecified) is a doubt but Darragh Lenihan, Dael Fry (both fitness), Lukas Engel (muscle), Tommy Smith (Achilles) and Jonny Howson (hamstring) still sidelined.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Watford host Middlesbrough at Vicarage Road on Saturday 5 October at 3pm BST, untelevised live in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Watford have won two of their last six meetings against Middlesbrough (W2, D1, L3).
• Boro have won one of their last six visits to Watford (W1, D1, L4).
• Watford have scored twice in each of their last two home games against Boro(W1, L1).
• Tom Dele-Bashiru has scored in each of Watford’s last two home games.
• Middlesbrough haven’t drawn any of their last five away games in the Championship (W3, L2).

 

Prediction

Watford’s recent form has been a story of two halves because they’re unbeaten at home but just poor on the road, which is a worry because they’re coming into this game off the back of a sloppy second-half at Preston.

Boro meanwhile seem to have clicked at the back in their last two games with clean sheets, which is a morale booster especially after a clinical yet organised win at West Brom.

Vicarage Road though is a bogey ground for Boro but if Watford haven’t fully shaken off the cobwebs of their Deepdale collapse, Boro really should nick a draw unless they can score first then dig deep for another clean sheet.

Prediction: Watford 1-1 Middlesbrough

Result: Watford 2-1 Middlesbrough