Preview: Preston North End vs. Watford - prediction, team news, lineups

Watford will be hoping to follow up their 6-0 win over Bristol City with a victory away at Preston North End in the Championship on Tuesday night.

The Hornets blew the Robins away on Saturday to remain fourth, while Preston beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 on Friday night to move up to 11th.

Match preview

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Ismaila Sarr, Will Hughes, Ken Sema and Philip Zinckernagel were all on the scoresheet after an early Taylor Moore own goal as Watford secured their first win in four matches in emphatic style against Bristol City.

The result was their biggest margin of victory in a league game since 1982 and meant they had scored as many goals in one game than they had in their previous five matches.

At the other end of the pitch, Watford's clean sheet was their 14th of the season, and only Swansea City have conceded fewer goals in the Championship in 2020-21.

The result continued the Hornets' impressive home record, but it has been a very different story on the road; they have won just three of 14 league away games this season and scored just seven goals – the lowest in the division, but at the same time, they have conceded the fewest away goals (nine).

Xisco Munoz's side are six points behind the top two and a win on Tuesday would lift them up to third, if only for 24 hours before Swansea play Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

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Preston's Lancashire derby success against Blackburn was also their first win in four matches, earned through goals from January signings Greg Cunningham and Liam Lindsay.

Alex Neil's side put in a fantastic performance at Ewood Park and more results of that ilk could leave them in contention for the playoffs.

The Lilywhites, though, have been one of the most inconsistent sides in the Championship and are currently seven points behind the top six; this week could prove pivotal in their hopes for the season as after hosting fourth-placed Watford, they travel to Cardiff City, who are currently in seventh.

Only Wycombe Wanderers and Birmingham City have picked up fewer points at home than Preston this season, who have won just four league games at Deepdale.

Watford won 4-1 in the reverse fixture at Vicarage Road in November – their first victory over Preston in the last five meetings.

Preston North End Championship form: LWDLLW

Watford Championship form: WWDLDW

Team News

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Neil could name an unchanged team after his side's impressive performance against Blackburn on Friday night; that would mean left-back Andrew Hughes plays as a centre-back in a back three again, with Scott Sinclair and Jayson Molumby being left on the bench.

The Preston boss confirmed after the game at Ewood Park that Anthony Gordon missed out with a "slight niggle", leaving the Everton loanee as a doubt for Tuesday.

Watford boss Xisco tried out a new 4-3-3 system against Bristol City and it clearly worked to perfection, so the Spaniard may also go unchanged.

There is potential for Troy Deeney to come back in after only being fit enough for the bench on Saturday, while new signings Dan Gosling and Achraf Lazaar made their debuts as substitutes so will be in line to feature again.

Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Iversen; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Browne, Ledson, Whiteman, Cunningham; Johnson; Barkhuizen, Evans

Watford possible starting lineup:
Bachmann; Femenia, Troost-Ekong, Sierralta, Masina; Cleverley, Hughes, Chalobah; Sarr, Pedro, Sema

We say: Preston North End 0-2 Watford

Both clubs will be on a high after their latest wins and keen to now put a run of good form together. Watford's new system looks clinical and although their poor away record should not be ignored, we think that the Hornets will emerge victorious again.