Newly-promoted club Watford FC takes on perennial powerhouse Manchester United at the Vicarage Road on Saturday, November 21st as the international break is over.
Watford come into this match with a very steady Premier League record, consisting of four wins, four draws and four losses. Watford are 11th in the table after losing 2-1 to Leicester City in their last outing.
In the two games before that, the Hornets claimed back-to-back victories away to Stoke City and at home to West Ham United.
But Quique Sanchez Flores’ side have struggled for goals at home, scoring just three and conceded four in six games at Vicarage Road.
United have been very resilient lately, going over nine hours of football without conceding a goal in all competitions since the Champions League away draw against CSKA Moscow on 21 October.
Scoring has been more challenging but, after three consecutive goalless draws last month, the Reds have returned to winning ways in the last two games (against CSKA and West Brom).
With a new attacking lineup composed of Lingard, Mata, and Anthony Martial, the Red Devil’s scoring chances had improved and it looks like they will continue to do wonders in this game versus the Hornets.
Match facts
- Manchester United have won the last nine matches in all competitions against Watford, with the Hornets’ last win coming back in September 1986, 1-0 at home in the league.
- Wayne Rooney has scored three goals in two appearances against the Hornets in all competitions.
- The Hornets have suffered just two defeats in their last nine league games at Vicarage Road, winning four and drawing three.
- The Red Devils have lost just one of their last eight Premier League games (W5 D2).
- Louis van Gaal’s charges have now gone five games in all competitions without conceding a goal (555 mins); they last enjoyed a longer run of clean sheets between the end of 04/05 and start of 05/06 (six games in total).
- On the other hand, United have failed to find the back of the net in three of their last five top-flight games.
- Wayne Rooney needs one more goal to become Manchester United’s outright second-highest-scorer in all competitions; he’s currently tied with Denis Law on 237, 12 behind Bobby Charlton.
- Since debuting for Manchester United in January 2014, Juan Mata has been involved in more Premier League goals than any other player at the club (30).
Head to head
These two sides have only met 16 times in Premier League before and its no surprise that United have enjoyed far more of this fixture than their opponents.
Watford have managed just two wins compared to United’s ten, in fact the last time United didn’t win this fixture was back in 1986.
They last locked horns back in 2007, it was an FA Cup tie where United ran out 4-1 winners.
Team news
Michael Carrick is set to miss the clash after picking up an ankle injury during the international break in England’s defeat to Spain, while Anthony Martial was substituted with a foot injury as France lost to England on Tuesday.
Antonio Valencia is out after undergoing surgery on his foot but James Wilson is nearing a return.
Paddy McNair and long-term absentee Luke Shaw both remain on the sidelines, with Shaw continuing his rehabilitation from a broken leg.
Ashley Young will hope to feature against the club with whom he spent over a decade
Watford midfielder Jose Manuel Jurado is doubtful due to a hamstring injury he suffered at the start of October, while Swedish defender Joel Ekstrand is yet to feature this season as he recovers from a cruciate ligament injury.
Former United youngster Craig Cathcart could face his old club for the second time since leaving in 2010.
Probable Line-ups
Watford starting lineup : Gomes; Nyom, Cathcart, Britos, Aké; Abdi, Watson, Anya, Capoue; Deeney, Ighalo
Manchester United starting lineup : De Gea; Young, Smalling, Blind, Rojo; Carrick, Rooney; Schweinsteiger, Mata, Lingard; Martial.
Sofascore.com
