After a midweek trip to the Premier League champions, Watford will return to the stresses and strains of Championship life as high-flying Sunderland visit Vicarage Road on Saturday afternoon.
The Hornets were knocked out of the EFL Cup at the home of Manchester City on Tuesday night, whereas the Black Cats have enjoyed a full week to recover from their most recent second-tier clash at the Stadium of Light.
Match preview
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Losing each of their last 15 matches against Manchester City by an aggregate scoreline of 58-8, Watford would have been fearing the worst as they travelled North to face Pep Guardiola's troops in the third round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday, although the evening ended pretty respectably for the second-tier visitors.
For the fifth time in the last six matches across all competitions, the Hornets conceded inside the first five minutes of the contest due to a Jeremy Doku strike before Portuguese midfielder Matheus Nunes added a second later in the first period, but the Hertfordshire club bagged a late consolation courtesy of a brilliant Tom Ince curler.
Focusing on the wider picture, Tuesday's narrow defeat at the home of the top-flight champions means that Watford are now winless in their last four games across the Championship and EFL Cup, a far cry from a sensational run of form which saw them victorious in five straight contests throughout August.
The Hornets suffered their heaviest defeat of the campaign to date during their latest second-tier encounter on September 21, when an East Anglian trip turned sour for Tom Cleverley's side, with efforts from Callum Doyle, Borja Sainz, Marcelino Nunez and Ben Chrisene securing a 4-1 success for Norwich City.
Despite their struggles since the end of the month, Watford will take confidence from their commendable home form heading into this weekend's clash with the Black Cats, as Saturday's hosts are unbeaten during their last six matches at Vicarage Road, including a pre-season friendly against Premier League Brentford in early August.
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With scouts from Champions League finalists Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund watching on, Sunderland starlet Chris Rigg decided the course of his side's most recent Championship match last weekend, when the promising 17-year-old netted the only goal of the game to defeat Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light.
Ever since returning from the depths of League One in 2022, the Black Cats' squad has boasted youngsters with potential, although, as was the case last season, the environment for those types of players to succeed has not always been present, with the North-East giants finishing 16th in the second tier following a troubled 2023-24 term.
Putting the disappointment of Ligue 1 relegation as Lorient head coach firmly behind him, Regis Le Bris is beginning to change the narrative at the Stadium of Light following a difficult 12 months, with the Frenchman leading Sunderland to five wins from his first seven competitive matches at the helm.
As a result of last weekend's maximum against Michael Carrick's Boro, the Black Cats remain second in the Championship standings with an applaudable tally of 15 points after six games, trialling league leaders West Bromwich Albion by just a single point as the October international break approaches.
Rather fitting for a club which focuses its attention on nurturing young talent, 21-year-old Romaine Mundle currently leads Sunderland's early Golden Boot race with three strikes in six Championship appearances, despite the forward netting just once across 11 appearances last season.
Team News
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Watford's first-choice goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann is out of action until next month with a muscle injury, so backup Jonathan Bond will continue in between the sticks.
The Hornets are unable to call upon the talents of Francisco Sierralta, with the Chilean targeting a return after the October international break from a muscle issue.
Signing as a free agent following his summer release from Hull City, Aaron Connolly could make his debut for Sunderland at Vicarage Road this weekend.
Enjoying a true breakthrough start to the season, 17-year-old Rigg is set to play in the engine room once for the Black Cats alongside Jobe Bellingham and Daniel Neil.
The visitors remain without the services of both Ajibola Alese and Jenson Seelt, meaning that Le Bris is short of backup options in defence.
Watford possible starting lineup:
Bond; Pollock, Porteous, Morris; Andrews, Dele-Bashiru, Sissoko, Sema; Baah, Chakvetadze, Bayo
Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Patterson; Hume, Mepham, O'Nien, Cirkin; Neil, Bellingham; Roberts, Rigg, Mundle; Mayenda
We say: Watford 2-2 Sunderland
Unbeaten in five matches at Vicarage Road so far this season, Watford should be confident of turning around their recent form and recording a positive result this weekend.
That being said, Sunderland look like a force to be reckoned with this campaign under Le Bris, who should be able to guide his troops to a point in Hertfordshire.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
