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How Watford could line up for their first game back

Sports Mole looks at how Watford could line up for their first Premier League game back against Leicester City.

Watford will be looking to make it back-to-back home victories in the Premier League when they return to action against Leicester City on June 20.

The Hornets beat Liverpool in their last home game on February 29 but suffered a 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace in their final match before the 2019-20 campaign was called to a halt.

Nigel Pearson's side will return to action against Leicester later this month, and there is no downplaying the importance of the fixture as the team currently sit 17th in the table, only outside of the bottom three on goal difference, while 19th-placed Aston Villa have a game in hand.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Watford could line up on their return.


POSS WAT XI vs LEI

Out: Gerard Deulofeu (knee), Daryl Janmaat (knee), Isaac Success (hamstring)
Doubtful: Jose Holebas (foot), Adrian Mariappa (coronavirus), Troy Deeney (personal)

> Click here for Watford's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

Watford will be far from at full-strength when they return to action, and it would perhaps be fair to say that their most important absentee is Spanish attacker Gerard Deulofeu.

The former Barcelona winger picked up a serious knee injury in the win over Liverpool at the end of February and faces a battle to return to action before the end of the season.

Daryl Janmaat and Isaac Success will also miss out, while Jose Holebas faces a battle to overcome a fractured foot in time for the fixture against the Foxes later this month.

Adrian Mariappa tested positive for coronavirus last month but has since overcome the issue and returned to training, while Troy Deeney is also expected to be available.

Deeney had initially signalled that he would not be returning to training amid the coronavirus pandemic, but the club captain has since joined his teammates at the club's London Colney base, and it is widely thought that the striker will be present when the Hornets return to action.

There are not expected to be many changes from the side that started against Palace back in March, meaning that the likes of Will Hughes, Kiko Femenia and Roberto Pereyra should again earn starting roles.

Ismaila Sarr has impressed for Watford this season, contributing five goals and four assists in 19 Premier League appearances, and the attacker is expected to feature on the left.

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Watford's Ismaila Sarr celebrates scoring their first goal on February 29, 2020
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1Sunderland86021661018
2Burnley85211441017
3Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd8530103716
4West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom8512126616
5Leeds UnitedLeeds8431135815
6Blackburn RoversBlackburn8431149515
7Middlesbrough842295414
8Watford84131213-113
9Hull City8332129312
10Norwich CityNorwich83321210212
11Oxford UnitedOxford Utd83231210211
12Swansea CitySwansea832386211
13Bristol City8242913-410
14Stoke CityStoke83051012-29
15Derby CountyDerby83051012-29
16Millwall8224121118
17Coventry CityCoventry8224911-28
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth8224812-48
19Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds8224914-58
20Luton TownLuton8224813-58
21Preston North EndPreston8224712-58
22Queens Park RangersQPR8143914-57
23Portsmouth8044819-114
24Cardiff CityCardiff8116317-144


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