Watford look to ease their relegation worries, with a victory that will see them open up a four-point gap to the bottom three. The Hornets are at home to Southampton, whose away form is significantly better their home record. In their last away trip, they put three past Norwich City in a comfortable win.
Watford Look to Ease Their Relegation Worries Against Southampton
Battle For Survival
Watford will be looking to bounce back from a loss against Burnley, where they may feel slightly aggrieved to how they didn’t pick up a point. The hosts will be determined to get a much needed three points and a result against Southampton.
Southampton couldn’t quite capitalise with that win at Norwich on Thursday. When a vastly improved Arsenal side took the spoils at St Mary’s, the Saints find themselves down in 14th only a few points off the top ten.
Will Watford Find the Right Balance?
A polished end product is what is currently lacking for a side who find themselves far down in the heated battle to avoid the drop. A perpetrated and developed approach to be productive within attacking phases and have the clinical instincts that are needed. As well as to extinguish any prosperous opponent workings, will get the finely poised balance that they may be missing.
Watford boss Nigel Pearson has got the team playing well through dominant periods in matches, and if they can match that desire with the evidential quality within the team, then that may just be possible.
Team News
Pearson is likely to make changes after their loss to Burnley and will amend some of the concerns he may have had during the last outing.
However, Gerard Deulofeu, Daryl Janmaat and Isaac Success will be out of action. They will be unable to partake in any matches for the rest of this term by being out on the sidelines.
Southampton are due to give fitness tests to Sofiane Boufal and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who may or may not be called upon for squad selection.
Previous Meetings
There was a tantalising finish last time out earlier in the season, where James Ward-Prowse and Danny Ings scored two late goals; to produce a frantic finish and take the game 2-1 to the Saints.
Watford have failed to beat the visitors in their last five meetings, so a favourable home game against a side comfortably in mid-table might see them change that for the better.
Prediction:
Watford will be desperate for the points and for them to make a fist of staying up this year, this will be huge and they need to get the job done. Three points should give them much needed breathing space between themselves and the bottom three.
Watford 1-0 Southampton
Main Photo
