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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
1Liverpool23175156213556
2Arsenal24148249222750
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest24145540271347
4Chelsea24127547311643
5Manchester CityMan City24125748351341
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle24125742291341
7Bournemouth24117641281340
8Aston Villa2410773437-337
9Fulham249963632436
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2481063538-334
11Brentford2494114242031
12Crystal Palace247982830-230
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd2485112834-629
14Tottenham HotspurSpurs24831348371127
15West Ham UnitedWest Ham2476112946-1727
16Everton236892328-526
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2454153452-1819
18Leicester CityLeicester2445152553-2817
19Ipswich TownIpswich2437142249-2716
20Southampton2423191854-369


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