Chelsea will attempt to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League when they welcome Watford to Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day.
The Blues, now under the stewardship of Guus Hiddink, will have a tough task, however, against a Watford team that have won their last four in the league and have their sights set on the top four as 2016 draws to a close.
Chelsea
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There is no getting away from the fact that it has been a very poor league season for Chelsea thus far. The defending champions have already lost nine times in the league and currently sit 15th in the table, some 20 points behind the leaders Leicester City. That said, never mind looking up the table, the Blues, who so impressively won the title last season, are only three points clear of the relegation zone.
It did not come as too much of a surprise when Jose Mourinho was relieved of his duties earlier this month and Hiddink has returned to the English side on an interim basis for the second time. The Dutchman lifted the FA Cup as Chelsea boss in 2009 and has been the man tasked with leading the club until at least the end of the season. Hiddink watched on from the stands as his new side recorded a 3-1 win over Sunderland last time out, which ended a run of four straight games without a victory in the top flight.
All is not well, however, with the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Branislav Ivanovic and Diego Costa all being booed by the Stamford Bridge crowd last weekend. All three struggled under Mourinho and the supporters seem to have taken issue with their conduct under the Portuguese, who remains a hero at Chelsea despite leaving the club for a second time.
All eyes will be on Chelsea as they attempt to rise up the table and despite a disastrous season to date, they are actually only 11 points from the top four, which is not an insurmountable gap with more than half of the season still to play. The Blues will need to improve at both ends of the field, however, having only scored 21 times in their 17 matches and conceding 27 down the other end. Their back four from last season, which was so impressive, now seems to be a movable object.
Costa and Eden Hazard, who still has not scored a single league goal this season, have also struggled and the latter has this week been linked with a return to Atletico Madrid. Chelsea have won seven and lost none of their last eight against Watford in all competitions, however, and they are also unbeaten in the league on Boxing Day since 2003 - winning six and drawing four of their 10 fixtures since then.
Recent form: LWDLLW
Recent form (all competitions): WDLWLW
Watford
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While Chelsea are looking over their shoulders in the league, Watford have their sights firmly set on a European position. Many tipped the capital side to struggle following their promotion from the Championship, but under Quique Flores, it has been a very impressive campaign to date. In fact, victory at Chelsea on Boxing Day could well see the Hornets rise into the top four, depending on the results of the teams around them.
A late Troy Deeney own goal saw Manchester United take all the points from Vicarage Road last month, but since then, Watford have recorded four straight wins in the Premier League. They beat Aston Villa, Norwich City and Sunderland, before recording a 3-0 win over Liverpool last time out. Deeney has led by example in the final third, but the plaudits and indeed goals belong to Odion Ighalo, who has netted 12 times in 17 league games this season.
Teams that rise from the Championship usually struggle with the defensive side of the game in the Premier League, but Watford have only conceded 16 times this season, which is up there with the best records in the division. There might be a concern if either Ighalo or Deeney picked up a long-term injury, but at the moment, those two are causing sides all sorts of problems in the final third and leaving the supporters dreaming of a finish in the top seven.
As it stands, Watford sit seventh in the table on 28 points, just one point off fourth-placed Tottenham. They have already equalled their entire points tally from their last Premier League season (2006-07), but their record on Boxing Day is not too impressive, winning just two of their last 13.
Just how far Watford can go this season might well depend on their results in the next three matches. After this one, they will host Tottenham, before welcoming Manchester City in their first match of 2016. A solid total of points from this game and the next two would certainly aid suggestions that Watford can compete with the likes of Crystal Palace and West Ham United in the table.
Recent form: LLWWWW
Team News
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At his press conference earlier this week, Hiddink revealed that Hazard had returned to training following a hip complaint and the Belgian would be assessed in the build-up to this match before a decision on his inclusion was made.
Loic Remy and Ramires are both pushing for spots in the team after starting on the bench last weekend, but Costa and Fabregas should both start.
Kurt Zouma is also expected to be given the nod over Gary Cahill, while Willian, Oscar and Pedro should make up the attack for the home team.
Nathan Ake, who is on loan at Watford from Chelsea, will be unable to face his parent club, which should allow Jose Holebas to come into the team at left-back for the visitors.
Flores is not expected to make too many more changes, however, with Deeney and Ighalo retaining their spots in the final third, and Jose Jurado and Almen Abdi operating in wide positions.
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Ivanovic, Terry, Zouma, Azpiliceuta; Matic, Fabregas; Pedro, Oscar, Willian; Costa
Watford possible starting lineup:
Gomes; Nyom, Cathcart, Britos, Holebas; Jurado, Capoue, Watson, Abdi; Ighalo, Deeney
Head To Head
Chelsea have won seven and lost none of their last eight meetings with Watford in all competitions. The last time that the pair met was in the third round of the FA Cup last season and Chelsea advanced with a 3-0 win.
That clash earlier this year was the first time that the two teams had met since the 2009-10 season, when Chelsea also won 5-0 at home in the Cup. Their last meeting in the league ended in a 1-0 Chelsea win in 2007.
We say: Chelsea 2-1 Watford
Watford have shown their credentials in recent weeks and will enter the match full of confidence following an impressive win over Liverpool last weekend.
Chelsea still have a squad full of excellent players, however, and will fancy their chances of making it back-to-back victories in the league.
Matt Law
