Looking to improve on a run of three-straight draws, Watford will welcome an out-of-form Cardiff City side to Vicarage Road for a crucial Championship clash on Saturday afternoon.
The Hornets were forced to settle for a point against Sheffield Wednesday last time out, while the Bluebirds were sentenced to a heavy defeat at Plymouth Argyle.
Match preview
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Although disappointed not to collect maximum points at Hillsborough during their final match of January, Watford were able to extend their unbeaten run across all competitions to seven matches with a goalless draw against Danny Rohl's Sheffield Wednesday last time out in the Championship.
One defeat from the last eight in the second tier has allowed Valerien Ismael's crop to recover from a poor start to the campaign, with the Hornets currently sitting ninth in the Championship table, just three points behind Mark Robins's Coventry City who occupy sixth place.
The Hornets have secured the services of Emmanuel Dennis from Nottingham Forest on loan for the remainder of the campaign, with the striker moving to the City Ground from Vicarage Road in the summer of 2022, but the 26-year-old failed to make a lasting impression in the East Midlands.
A summer arrival has been doing the business for Watford in front of the net so far this season, with towering Dane Mileta Rajovic bagging eight second-tier goals in 26 appearances so far, leading his side's Golden Boot race ahead of Matheus Martins and Vakoun Issouf Bayo, who have scored five each.
Saturday will see Watford enter their first Championship home encounter of 2024, with Ismael's men currently four league matches without success in front of their Vicarage Road faithful - a spell which includes a 2-1 loss to promotion-chasing Ipswich Town and a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Bristol City.
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Cardiff City's top-six ambitions took another major blow a fortnight ago at the home of Plymouth Argyle, with a brace from Ryan Hardie and Morgan Whittaker's 15th of the league term wiping out Perry Ng's opener for the Bluebirds, condemning the visitors to a third-straight loss.
Following a promising start to the season under Turkish manager Erol Bulut, the Welsh outfit have struggled to keep up their promising run of the results, winning just two of their last nine matches across the Championship and FA Cup, leading to understandable frustration from sections of the fanbase.
A previously-solid backline including the likes of Mark McGuinness and Dimitrios Goutas has conceded 10 goals in the last three matches, and with Cardiff finding the net just once in matches against Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United and Plymouth, it leaves little room to collect results.
Bluebirds boss Bulut spoke openly of his desire to recruit a striker during the January transfer window, and with first-choice target Kieffer Moore heading to Kieran McKenna's Ipswich, the Welsh side have secured the services of former Bristol City man Famara Diedhiou on loan from Granada for the remainder of the campaign.
Cardiff have run out victors during their last two visits to Vicarage Road, winning 1-0 in December 2020 and 3-1 in April 2023, when Cedric Kipre, Kion Etete and Sory Kaba all breached the net of Daniel Bachmann to hand the Bluebirds a massive boost in their fight for survival last term.
Team News
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Watford are set to be without the services of midfielder Edo Kayembe on Saturday afternoon, with the 25-year-old recovering from a calf injury sustained in the middle of January.
The Hornets are also battling on without first-choice right-back Jeremy Ngakia, who broke his ankle in November and has not featured since the draw at Huddersfield Town.
The likes of Dennis and Rajovic could be promoted to the starting XI at Vicarage Road, with attacker Bayo and Giorgi Chakvetadze candidates to make way.
Cardiff are preparing to welcome back Aaron Ramsey to their matchday squad this weekend, after the Wales international missed the last four months of football due to a knee injury.
In less-favourable news, the Bluebirds remain without the services of winger Callum O'Dowda, who suffered a leg injury in September and is still on the road to recovery.
Midfielder Joe Ralls is another first-team star who is occupying a place in the Cardiff medical room, meaning Ryan Wintle and Rubin Colwill could keep hold of their starting spots.
Watford possible starting lineup:
Hamer; Andrews, Pollock, Hoedt, Lewis; Livermore; Asprilla, Dele-Bashiru, Kone, Dennis; Rajovic
Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Alnwick; Goutas, McGuinness, Collins; Ng, Colwill, Wintle, Rinomhota, Romeo; Diedhiou, Grant
We say: Watford 2-1 Cardiff City
With Dennis and Rajovic raring to do some damage from the start, Watford should be confident of exploiting a leaky Cardiff backline this weekend.
The Bluebirds will be boosted by the return of Ramsey to the matchday squad, but we believe that the introduction of the Welsh legend will not be enough to prevent a win for the hosts at Vicarage Road.
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Carter White
