MX23RW : Sunday, February 2 15:45:11| >> :120:7857:7857:
[monks data]
Watford logo
Championship
Feb 21, 2015 at 3pm UK
 
Norwich logo

0-3

FT(HT: 0-0)
Grabban (65' pen., 85'), Jerome (70')

Preview: Watford vs. Norwich City

Sports Mole looks ahead to the Championship playoff battle between Watford and Norwich City at Vicarage Road.

Two Championship playoff rivals will go head to head this weekend when Watford host Norwich City at Vicarage Road.

These two sides currently occupy the final two playoff spots and will know that defeat could be hugely damaging to their hopes of reaching the Premier League next season.

Watford are the better placed of the two sides, sitting three points clear of Saturday's opponents, but defeat by two goals or more would see them slip below the Canaries and down into sixth place.

The hosts are, however, safe in the knowledge that they can't fall out of the top six altogether this weekend, with four points separating them from Brentford in seventh.

Indeed, many Watford fans may still be looking up the table rather than over their shoulders as four points is also all that separates them from league leaders Middlesbrough.

A run of five wins in their last six matches has seen the Hornets creep up on the title race, and recent evidence certainly suggests that they have the firepower to trouble those above them in the table.

Another four goals in a dramatic 4-3 victory over Bolton Wanderers last weekend took their tally for the season up to 63 - a total only Bournemouth can better.

Odion Ighalo was on the scoresheet yet again against the Trotters to take his tally to 12 goals in his last eight league games, a run of form that has even seen him oust Troy Deeney as the club's main striker.

Deeney did come off the bench to score a 90th-minute winner at the Macron, however, which could earn him a recall in place of Matej Vydra this weekend.

Watford have won four of their last five matches at Vicarage Road, including an ongoing run of three in a row during which they have scored 13 goals and conceded just two.

They drew a blank in the reverse fixture at Carrow Road, however, as Norwich took advantage of an early red card to cruise to a 3-0 victory back in August.

The Canaries have had a dip in form and a change of manager since then, but they finally find themselves back in the playoff places now having climbed above Brentford last weekend.

A 2-0 win over fellow playoff hopefuls Wolverhampton Wanderers made it three victories on the bounce for Alex Neil's men, while they have only been beaten once in the league so far this calendar year.

Like Watford, Norwich have not been shy in front of goal this season, but it is at the back where they have particularly impressed in recent weeks, keeping three clean sheets in their last four outings.

The Canaries have only lost one of their last six league away games, but did need a late Cameron Jerome winner to get past struggling Charlton Athletic in their most recent outing on the road.

That goal was not enough to earn Jerome a start last weekend, however, and Neil could once again name an unchanged side this Saturday, with Lewis Grabban and Gary Hooper leading the line.

Watford:

Recent form: WLWWW

Possible starting lineup: Gomes; Cathcart, Ekstrand, Angella; Paredes, Layun, Watson, Abdi, Anya; Deeney, Ighalo

Norwich:

Recent form: WLDWWW

Possible starting lineup: Ruddy; Whittaker, Martin, Bassong, Olsson; Redmond, Tettey, Howson, Johnson; Grabban, Hooper

Sports Mole says: 2-2


ID:206429: cacheID:206429:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5833:
Written by
Barney Corkhill
No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Almen Abdi (right) of Watford celebrates with team mates after scoring his sides fourth goal during the Sky Bet Championship match against Fulham on December 5, 2014
Read Next:
Abdi: 'Watford have Championship's best strikers'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds30189360194163
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd30196541212061
3Burnley30151323692758
4Sunderland291510442241855
5Blackburn RoversBlackburn30136113429545
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom301014639271244
7Middlesbrough29128947361144
8Norwich CityNorwich30119104942742
9Bristol City30101283835342
10Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds30119104346-342
11Coventry CityCoventry30118114138341
12Watford30125134042-241
13Millwall301010103027340
14Queens Park RangersQPR30911103339-638
15Preston North EndPreston3081393338-537
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd30910113444-1037
17Swansea CitySwansea3097143242-1034
18Stoke CityStoke30711122837-932
19Cardiff CityCardiff30710133351-1831
20Portsmouth3079143652-1630
21Hull City3078153140-929
22Derby CountyDerby3076173241-927
23Luton TownLuton3076173049-1927
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth30510152963-3425


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!