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Premier League | Gameweek 19
Dec 26, 2018 at 7.30pm UK
 
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Gracia warns Watford that Chelsea Boxing Day challenge will be 'very demanding'

Gracia warns Watford that Chelsea Boxing Day challenge will be 'very demanding'
© Reuters
Gracia expects Chelsea to offer a far greater threat than they did last February when the Hornets ran out 4-1 winners.

Watford boss Javi Gracia expects to face a vastly different Chelsea to the one his side dispatched last season.

The Blues arrived at Vicarage Road in February in Gracia's first home game in charge of Watford and found themselves on the end of a chastening 4-1 defeat.

That victory remains a fond memory for Gracia but the Spaniard knows it will have no bearing on the outcome when Maurizio Sarri's side come to town on Boxing Day.

"That was a good game. It was my first home game and it was special," said Gracia.

"But it's the past. Now is another game. It's different. We know it will be very demanding for us because we are playing against one of the best teams in the league.

"It's not easy because they have very good mechanism to attack. And they have very good players with different options.

"But to get a clean sheet at West Ham is something good for us. It shows us that working together with the solidarity we had, we can do well. We are able to compete and win."

Watford's 2-0 victory at the Hammers on Saturday moved them up to seventh and has Hornets fans dreaming of a potential European campaign next season.

But Gracia added: "When I saw the table after the game I saw the relegation zone starts at 12 points.

"I prefer to work day by day and try to enjoy the road, every moment. I like to compete against all the teams. We can compete with all of them.

"The next game will be the same. I prefer that than to be focused on positions in the table. Because we are in December and you know that football can change day by day."

Watford will have an unchanged squad as Will Hughes, Andre Gray, Sebastian Prodl and Adalberto Penaranda all remain sidelined.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool29217169274270
2Arsenal291610353242958
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest29166749351454
4Chelsea29147853371649
5Manchester CityMan City29146955401548
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2814594738947
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton29121164842647
8Fulham2912984338545
9Aston Villa2912984145-445
10Bournemouth29128948361244
11Brentford29125125045541
12Crystal Palace2810993633339
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd29107123740-337
14Tottenham HotspurSpurs291041555431234
15Everton2971393236-434
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2997133349-1634
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2975174058-1826
18Ipswich TownIpswich2938182862-3417
19Leicester CityLeicester2945202565-4017
20Southampton2923242170-499


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