Watford and Leeds United will square off at Vicarage Road on Saturday afternoon in a battle for survival in the Premier League.
As the Premier League heads into the final stretch of the season, the relegation battle is heating up, with only seven points separating 15th-placed Newcastle United and 18th-placed Burnley. In what will be another relegation six-pointer, Watford and Leeds United lock horns in a huge clash in terms of the battle against the drop at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
Watford are in desperate need of a win as they are slowly running out of games to stand any realistic chance of survival. They remain second from bottom, three points from safety, and have claimed just one victory in their last six matches.
Roy Hodgson has not had the impact that Watford’s owners had hoped for since taking over at Vicarage Road, with the former England manager leading his team to only two victories since his appointment at the end of January. The Hornets enter Saturday’s clash on the back of a 2-0 loss at the hands of Liverpool.
While they have shown a willingness to fight and have put in some respectable performances, the results just have not gone their way. Having struggled at home this season, Watford’s survival hopes could be dependent on how quickly they can improve their record at Vicarage Road.
A win for Watford in the Premier League this weekend could work wonders for their bleak survival chances whilst dragging Leeds right back into the thick of the relegation dogfight. But the Whites appear to have rediscovered their spark here and are creating chances.
Jesse Marsch appears to have lifted the mood at Elland Road, as Leeds United seem to be feeling the new manager bounce. They have claimed two wins and a draw from their last three games and are now six points above the drop zone. While the Whites are still in the relegation mix, three points here could steer them further clear of the dreaded dotted line.
Team News & Tactics
Watford
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— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) April 8, 2022
Watford have no fresh injury concerns heading into this must-win contest. Nicolas Nkoulou is back in contention, having completed his recovery from a long-term hamstring injury, while Kwadwo Baah has also returned to training after recuperating from an ankle issue.
Roy Hodgson might continue with his preferred 4-3-3 formation, which suits his attackers and their pace in turnovers. The former Crystal Palace boss could make one change to the starting XI that took to the field in the 2-0 defeat at Liverpool, with Emmanuel Dennis potentially replacing Joao Pedro up top.
Ben Foster will take his place between the sticks for the Hornets. The central defensive duo of Christian Kabasele and Samir will be assigned the job of marking Leeds’s buzzing attackers and keeping things solid at the back. They will be flanked by Kiko Femenia and front-footed, athletic full-back Hassane Kamara.
The defensive quartet will largely remain compact, although Femenia will have some chances to surge forward into the final third. Up ahead in midfield, captain Moussa Sissoko will be the heartbeat of the engine room, although his primary duty will be to prevent Kalvin Phillips from dictating proceedings. Sissoko will line up alongside Juraj Kucka and Imran Louza in the middle of the park.
Finally, jet-heeled winger Ismaila Sarr will carry the major creative burden thanks to his incredible pace, directness, and dynamism. In-form attacker Cucho Hernandez will take up the left-wing berth and will intend to exploit leftover spaces. Emmanuel Dennis should operate in a central role, with Joshua King and Joao Pedro providing options from the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Foster; Femenia, Kabasele, Samir, Kamara; Sissoko, Louza, Kucka; Sarr, Dennis, Hernandez
Leeds United
Leeds’s injury woes appear to have subsided in recent weeks. Long-term absentees Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips made their comebacks from four-month injury absences against Southampton last weekend. Patrick Bamford and Tyler Roberts, though, are unlikely to play again for the rest of the season.
Leo Hjelde and Junior Firpo are in with a shot of making the squad, but Jamie Shackleton remains unavailable for selection. Joe Gelhardt was also scheduled to train on Friday and therefore could be in contention for this weekend, as he recovers from a thigh injury.
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— Leeds United (@LUFC) April 7, 2022
Marsch will probably opt for a 4-2-3-1 formation with only one change from the last game, as Kalvin Phillips will likely make his way back into the starting XI. Illan Meslier should stay in between the sticks for the Whites. Following a strong comeback performance against Southampton, Liam Cooper should also retain his place at the heart of the defence.
Diego Llorente will join the Leeds captain to form the central defensive partnership as they look to shut out the threats from Emmanuel Dennis and Ismaila Sarr. Stuart Dallas is a guaranteed starter at the left-back position, whereas Luke Ayling will slot in as the right-back.
Kalvin Phillips, who has been linked with a move away from Elland Road recently, made his first appearance since December against Southampton at the weekend. He is in line to feature from the outset here alongside Adam Forshaw in a double-pivot.
There are unlikely to be any changes in attack, with the trident of Raphinha, Rodrigo and Jack Harrison expected to operate just behind Daniel James, who will be deployed in the false nine capacity. Harrison has been in fine form lately, scoring in each of his last two appearances. He will be hoping to get his name on the scoresheet this weekend, while Raphinha has the skills and flair to be a menace to the opposition defenders.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Ayling, Llorente, Cooper, Dallas; Phillips, Forshaw; Raphinha, Rodrigo, Harrison; James
Key Stats
- Watford have lost their last eight home Premier League matches since a 4-1 victory over Manchester United last November.
- But the hosts have won their last two home league matches against Leeds, most recently a 4-1 victory in August 2014.
- Leeds are undefeated in their previous three games, their longest streak since going three games without losing in December.
- The Whites are looking to complete their first league double over Watford since the 1999/00 top-flight campaign.
- Leeds have not kept a clean sheet in their last 18 games and have shipped in 68 goals in 31 Premier League outings.
Player to Watch
Cucho Hernandez
With the Hornets still facing an uphill battle to avoid an immediate return to the Championship and forwards Ismaila Sarr and Emmanuel Dennis misfiring in front of goal, the onus to produce the goods in the final third very much lies on Cucho Hernandez, who has impressed for Watford in recent weeks, scoring three goals and assisting one in his last four Premier League matches.
The mazy Colombian attacker has wowed the Vicarage Road faithful with his performances of late after a slow start to the season. He certainly has an eye for the spectacular, as seen by his amazing bicycle-kick finish against Arsenal, followed by two fine strikes at St. Mary’s. The 22-year-old will once again be keen to score in this crucial clash at Vicarage Road.
Prediction
Watford 2-2 Leeds United
With so much at stake for both sides, predicting an accurate result is a tall order, and it is hard to separate them here. Watford are the worst home side in all four tiers of English professional football. After a torrid spell, Leeds appear to have found their rhythm once again and will fancy themselves against a Watford team sleep-walking towards relegation.
Both sides have been shabby at the back all season. The Hornets have conceded at least two goals in seven of their last eight home Premier League matches. Meanwhile, Leeds have surrendered at least two goals in seven of their last eight away league matches.
Should Roy Hodgson remove the shackles off of his attacking players, this has all the makings of a high-scoring draw. So, The Hard Tackle predicts a stalemate at Vicarage Road on Saturday afternoon.
