Preview: Watford vs. Southampton - prediction, team news, lineups

Watford will be looking to make it back-to-back Premier League victories when they continue their 2021-22 campaign at home to Southampton on Saturday afternoon.

The Hornets, who sit 14th in the table, recorded a 5-2 win over Everton at Goodison Park last weekend, while 16th-placed Southampton played out a 2-2 draw with Burnley in their last league match.

Match preview

© Reuters

Claudio Ranieri's first match in charge of Watford suggested that it could be a long and difficult season, with the Hornets losing 5-0 at home to the Reds, but the Italian managed to lead his side to a 5-2 win over Everton at Goodison Park last weekend to boost confidence at Vicarage Road.

Watford have an incredibly difficult run of matches coming up, taking on Arsenal, Manchester United, Leicester City, Chelsea and Manchester City in five straight fixtures after the clash with Southampton, which is an indication of the importance of this weekend's contest against one of the teams around them in the table.

A record of three wins, one draw and five defeats from nine matches has seen the Hornets collect 10 points, which has left them in 14th spot in the table, six points above the relegation zone.

Watford have not won at Vicarage Road since the opening weekend of the season, though, collecting just one point from their last three home league fixtures against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle and Liverpool.

The Hertfordshire outfit have won just one of their last 13 league meetings with Southampton, meanwhile, and lost both games against the Saints when they locked horns during the 2019-20 Premier League campaign.

© Reuters

Southampton, meanwhile, will enter this weekend's contest off the back of a penalty-shootout defeat to Chelsea in the last-16 stage of the EFL Cup on Tuesday; the two teams played out a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge before the hosts triumphed 4-3 on spot kicks.

Ralph Hasenhuttl will have been pleased with his side's performance despite the defeat, and the Saints have also picked up four points from their last two Premier League matches, recording a 1-0 win over Leeds United on October 16 before playing out a 2-2 draw with Burnley last weekend.

Southampton came from behind to lead against the Clarets in Hampshire, but Maxwel Cornet's second of the match for Sean Dyche's side allowed the points to be shared at St Mary's.

Hasenhuttl's team have won one, drawn five and lost three of their nine league games this season to collect eight points, which has left them down in 16th position in the table, two points behind their opponents here.

As mentioned above, the Saints have a strong recent record against Watford and have not actually lost to the Hornets since a Premier League clash at St Mary's towards the start of the 2017-18 campaign.

Team News

© Reuters

Watford boss Ranieri revealed during Thursday's pre-match press conference that Danny Rose is available for selection after recovering from the calf problem that forced him to miss out against Everton.

Kiko Femenia remains a doubt, though, while Francisco Sierralta, Christian Kabasele and Peter Etebo will all miss out through injury, and Emmanuel Dennis will be absent through suspension due to his booking last time out.

Despite Rose's return, Adam Masina could retain his spot at left-back, and there is every chance that Ranieri will select the same XI from the victory at Goodison Park, with Juan Hernandez and Ismaila Sarr playing either side of Joshua King, who netted three times against the Toffees.

As for Southampton, Armando Broja has been ruled out of the contest due to the ankle problem that the forward picked up in the draw with Burnley last weekend, so Che Adams could start through the middle.

Jack Stephens is also still out with a knee problem, while Mohamed Elyounoussi remains a doubt with a wrist injury, but James Ward-Prowse is available again after a suspension.

Ward-Prowse is expected to come straight back into the away side's XI on Saturday, while Stuart Armstrong could be handed a spot in a wide area, with Nathan Redmond potentially joining Adams in attack despite the availability of Adam Armstrong.

Watford possible starting lineup:
Foster; Ngakia, Troost-Ekong, Cathcart, Masina; Sarr, Kucka, Sissoko, Tufan, Hernandez; King

Southampton possible starting lineup:
McCarthy; Livramento, Bednarek, Salisu, Perraud; S Armstrong, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Djenepo; Redmond, Adams

We say: Watford 1-1 Southampton

This is a very, very difficult match to call, and we are finding it tough to separate the two teams on this occasion. Watford were excellent against Everton last weekend, but Southampton's recent performances have also been positive, and we have had to settle on a low-scoring draw at Vicarage Road.

Previews by email