Championship | Gameweek 24

Dec 29, 2024 at 3pm UK

Vicarage Road

Watford vs Cardiff

Match preview

Watford secured all three points against Portsmouth on Boxing Day thanks to a 95th-minute winner from Rocco Vata, with the 19-year-old helping the Hornets to their 11th Championship win of the 2024-25 season.

Cleverley's side are back in the play-off places, having collected 37 points from their 22 games with a record of 11 wins, four draws and seven defeats, and are just one point behind fifth-placed Blackburn Rovers.

Watford's success this season has been built on excellent home form, with 29 points from their 11 games, the second-best record in the Championship behind Leeds United's 31.

The Hornets are unbeaten at Vicarage Road in the league this season, conceding just six goals, and will be heavy favourites to overcome a struggling Cardiff side this weekend.

Watford, on the other hand, are on a three-match winless run against Cardiff, suffering two defeats, including a 1-0 reverse the last time the two sides met at Vicarage Road in February.

Cardiff come into the game on the back of a 3-2 defeat to Oxford United, which extended their winless run in the second tier to nine games.

Indeed, the Bluebirds have not taken all three points since a 2-1 win over Norwich City in early November, losing six and drawing three of their nine games since then.

Omer Riza's side are 23rd in the Championship table, having taken just 18 points from their 22 games this season, but they are just two points behind 21st-placed Portsmouth.

Finding the back of the net has been a real problem for Cardiff this season, with just 21 goals scored in their 22 games, tied with Hull City for the worst attacking record in the division.

Recent Performance

Watford Championship form:WDDWLW

Cardiff City Championship form:LDLDLL

Team News

Watford will again be without the services of Kevin Keben and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru for the game against Cardiff, while Kwadwo Baah is suspended following his red card at the final whistle against Portsmouth.

Baah was sent off for taunting the Portsmouth supporters after his side's late win and will now serve a suspension, opening the door for Vata to come into the side.

It is a relatively quick turnaround, but head coach Cleverley is unlikely to shuffle his pack, with Daniel Jebbison once again expected to lead the line for the Hornets, who are chasing promotion this season.

As for Cardiff, Joe Ralls, Kion Etete, Michael Reindorf, David Turnbull, Ryotaro Tsunoda, Perry Ng, Ollie Tanner, Aaron Ramsey and Isaak Davies are all out through injury.

The visitors did not pick up any new problems against Oxford, but there could be a change in the final third of the field, with Callum Robinson possibly coming in for Chris Willock.

Robinson is the team's top scorer with six goals this season, and after finding the net off the bench on Boxing Day, the 29-year-old could be in line for a place in the XI against Watford.

Possible starting lineup

Watford possible starting lineup:

Bachmann; Porteous, Pollock, Morris; Ngakia, Kayembe, Louza, Larouci; Vata, Jebbison, Chakvetadze

Cardiff City possible starting lineup:

Alnwick; Chambers, Goutas, Bagan; Rinomhota, Siopis, Robertson, O'Dowda; R Colwill, Meite, Willock