Watford

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Watford manager Tom Cleverley felt his side deserved a point from their 2-1 defeat by Sheffield United, but admitted they lacked a killer instinct.

Gustavo Hamer and Andre Brooks netted either side of Jeremy Ngakia's strike to secure victory for the Blades.

Watford have now won just two of their past six games, losing four, which has seen them slip four points adrift of the play-offs.

"One team knew how to win, the other is pretty new to it. There is not much between the teams," Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"I told the players the month of December finds teams out and it has found us out.

"It is my job to knuckle down and get this group together because we've shown our fragilities these recent weeks."

Cleverley confirmed a positive prognosis on the injury picked up by goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann late on, ruling out a dislocated ankle or ruptured Achilles tendon.

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Tom Cleverley has been given a fitness boost ahead of Sheffield United's visit to Vicarage Road on Saturday afternoon.

Back-to-back defeats have seen the Hornets drop out of the play-off places but Cleverley could name Angelo Ogbonna in his XI for the first time since the 3-0 defeat at Luton on 19 October, having been an unused sub over the festive period.

"He's a live player, and ready from the start tomorrow," Cleverley told his pre-match press conference.

Imran Louza is also back in contention after missing Wednesday's 3-1 defeat at QPR with a knee strain, while Tom Dele-Bashiru (also knee) is back in training after missing 14 matches also sustained in that defeat at Luton.

"It's good news... Imran's improved a lot and will be available for the game. Tom has rejoined the group so we're getting stronger (in central midfield)."

Watford and Sheffield United will seek to get back on track when they meet on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Hornets have lost back-to-back games to fall out of the play-off places while the Blades have picked up just one point from three games since Christmas to fall off the pace in the promotion race.

• Watford are unbeaten in each of their past four home league games against Sheffield United (W3 D1), keeping a clean sheet in each of those matches since losing 2-0 in January 2009.

• Following a 1-0 win at Bramall Lane in September, Sheffield United are aiming to complete a league double over Watford for the first time since 2008-09 under Kevin Blackwell.

• Watford were unbeaten in 15 straight home league games prior to losing to Cardiff in their final match of 2024 (W10 D5) – the Hornets last lost two in a row at Vicarage Road in the Championship in February.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their past 13 Championship matches played on a Saturday (W9 D4), since a 1-0 loss at home to Luton in March 2023.

• Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has never won away to former side Watford in the league, drawing 0-0 with the Blades in the Premier League in October 2019 before losing 2-1 with Middlesbrough in the Championship in August 2022.

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Watford boss Tom Cleverley admitted his side failed to reach the standards they produced against Portsmouth on Boxing Day as defeat by Cardiff City ended their unbeaten home record for the season.

"All good things come to an end. Today we let them off the hook too many times with sloppiness, with lack of concentration, and it was a game we have to take on the chin and say that we weren't good enough to a man," Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"As a defensive unit, if we're going to go from a three to a four, or a five to a four, however you want to call it, we have to become high-urgency defenders where conceding a goal has to be the worst possible thing that can happen to you.

"That needs high focus of the mind and body and I think we can improve in that department - and I will help the players improve in that department."

The Hornets, who took off defender Ryan Porteous at half-time, lost Rocco Vata and Imran Louza because of injuries in the second half and they will be assessed before the New Year's Day game at QPR.

Listen to Tom Cleverley's full interview on BBC Sounds

Play-off chasing Watford host struggling Cardiff City at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

Victory over Portsmouth on Boxing Day took the Hornets up to sixth in the Championship table, while a pair of late goals were not enough to rescue a point for the Bluebirds - who are second from bottom - against fellow relegation battlers Oxford United.

• Watford have lost their last three home league games against Cardiff City and have only won two of their last 11 against them at Vicarage Road (D4 L5).

• Cardiff City are looking to win consecutive league games against Watford for the first time since a run of three between March 2009 and March 2010.

• Watford haven't won their final league match of the year in any of the last three years (D1 L2) since beating Norwich 1-0 in 2020.

• Cardiff City have lost their final league game of the year in three of the last four years (D1) since winning 2-1 against Sheffield Wednesday in 2019.

• Watford are winless in their last four home league games against Welsh opponents (D1 L3) since beating Swansea 2-0 in May 2021.

Geoff Doyle
Sports editor, BBC 3CR

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What do Watford need in January?

Watford could do with another goal-scoring striker. Vakoun Bayo has done well this season but he needs some back-up. We thought Daniel Jebbison was going to be the answer but he hasn't been able to get going and has hardly featured since joining on loan from Bournemouth.

With Tom Dele-Bashiru injured, the Hornets may also need a central midfielder.

What sort of business are they likely to do?

Watford didn't do much in January last year but their league position at the time meant promotion didn't seem likely and so there probably wasn't much point.

The year before they had more of a chance and did sign a few but they still had parachute payments then which they no longer benefit from. But given their league position and the potential of promotion there could be some additions.

How successful have they been in recent January windows?

Last year was quiet although they did do great business in making Giorgi Chakvetadze's loan a permanent move which will turn out to be very profitable.

In previous years they have signed the likes of Ismael Kone and Wes Hoedt who have had decent spells at the club.

Are there likely to be any notable departures?

Chakvetadze is the prize asset and a fabulous player. There will be a number of clubs monitoring the Georgia international and he will eventually go for big money, but Watford don't tend to sell their stars in January so this one is more likely to happen in the summer.

How important is the transfer window likely to be in determining the success of their season?

It could prove to be very significant. If they keep Chakvetadze and get three or four decent ones in then the club have a more realistic chance of mounting a successful play-off challenge

The Hornets currently look set for the top 10. A January boost would increase their chances of a top-six finish.

On Boxing Day, Watford host a Portsmouth side that are fresh off the back of a morale-boosting 4-1 victory over Coventry City.

The Hornets sit in the Championship's top eight with 34 points and are just one point off Middlesbrough in sixth.

Pompey have spent large parts of the season in the bottom three but have recently found some good form at home that has lifted them above the dotted line and they currently sit 20th.

• Watford have won their last three home league games against Portsmouth, although this is their first meeting since a 2-0 win back in November 2011.

• The last six league meetings between Watford and Portsmouth have all been won by the home side.

• Watford have lost each of their last two league matches on Boxing Day, last suffering three straight defeats on this date between 1956 and 1958.

• In the second tier, Portsmouth are winless in their last seven games on Boxing Day (D4 L3) since a 3-1 win over QPR in 1997.

• Watford have won both previous Boxing Day meetings with Portsmouth, beating them 1-0 in 1988 under Steve Harrison and 2-0 in 1994 under Glenn Roeder.

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Watford head coach Tom Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio his side must improve their away form if they are to challenge for promotion.

The Hornets fell to a seventh away defeat of the season at Burnley - in stark contrast to their unbeaten home record.

"I think the scoreline flatters us - I've told that to the players. That could have been a lot more convincing (for Burnley) and was nowhere near an acceptable performance from us today.

"They showed more personality to play on the ball, they showed better problem-solving but, most worryingly, they ran more and tackled harder.

"In fairness to the players they always have responded well to a performance like that, but if we're serious about our ambitions this season we have to have a better mindset in these away games where you are going to suffer setbacks.

"At home we've suffered setbacks and responded to them, but away from home we just don't show the same character or mindset to come back from any deficits.

"I would never criticise my players for a technical mistake but when I see players shying away from wanting to receive the ball, then we've got a real issue.

"To get to the level we want to get to we can't just do it in the home games - we have to do it in the toughest environments.

"At the minute we're playing like a team who want to flip a coin and finish between fifth and 10th rather than really grab our own destiny by the scruff of the neck."

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Watford beat West Bromwich Albion last time out to end the Baggies' 12-match unbeaten streak and are hoping to do the same to third-placed Burnley on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Clarets have not lost in eight Championship matches, however Watford have proven themselves adept at getting the better of those above them.

The Hornets, in seventh spot, have won each of their games against the three teams immediately above them in the Championship table - Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland.

"These are the big challenges, the big days that we've been rising to. Our form against the top-10 teams is quite good," Watford boss Tom Cleverley told BBC Radio Three Counties.

"This another huge challenge for us and one we feel like we are arriving there at a good moment."

Watford are on a six-match unbeaten run [W3 D3] and are level on points with Boro, who are in the final play-off spot.

However, as confident as Cleverley is feeling, he isn't underestimating Scott Parker's promotion challengers.

"It's an incredible defensive record they've got up to this stage of the season," he said.

"Only eight goals conceded in 21 matches - it goes back to the [Jose] Mourinho Chelsea team's kind of defensive record.

"We know the test we face but what I would say is that we have got one of the most exciting attacking units in the league also, so I expect a good clash of styles and a good football match."

Burnley are looking to extend their unbeaten run to nine games as they host seventh-placed Watford on Saturday.

The Clarets are third, four points behind leaders Sheffield United, and host a Hornets side who have taken just five points from their past nine away games, in stark contrast to their home record of 26 points from 10 matches.

• Burnley have lost just one of their past seven league games against Watford (W3 D3), never conceding more than one goal in any of those matches.

• Watford have won just three of their 23 away Football League games against Burnley (D7 L13), though all three wins have seen the Hornets score 3+ goals. In that time, Watford have managed to only keep two clean sheets.

• Burnley are unbeaten across their past 10 home league games (W5 D5), drawing each of their last two against Middlesbrough and Derby County. Not since August 2022 have the Clarets drawn three in succession at Turf Moor.

• Watford are unbeaten across their last six league games (W3 D3), last enjoying a longer run between March and April 2021 (eight games).

• Giorgi Chakvetadze has created more chances from open play than any other player in the Championship this season (40), while the Watford midfielder is second this term for dribbles completed (41).

There's a big battle in the race for the top-six on Sunday afternoon as West Bromwich Albion visit Vicarage Road to face Watford.

The Baggies climbed above the Hornets on Wednesday night courtesy of their 2-0 win over Coventry, which made it 12 games unbeaten, albeit 10 of those being draws.

Watford salvaged a point at bottom side Hull but remain unbeaten at home with 23 points from nine games, and just four goals conceded.

• Watford are unbeaten in their past seven league games against West Brom (W3 D4), with both matches between the pair last season ending in 2-2 draws.

• West Brom have not won any of their past six away league games against Watford (D3 L3), having won on each of their prior three trips between September 2001 and November 2007.

• Watford are unbeaten in their past 13 league games at Vicarage Road (W8 D5), keeping a clean sheet in eight of those games, including all the past four.

• West Brom have lost fewer Championship away games than any other side this season (W4 D5 L1), with five of their past six such games ending in a draw (W1), as many as in their previous 23 (W9 L9).

• Tom Fellows has assisted six away Championship goals for West Bromwich Albion this season, with those six assists coming for just two players – four for Josh Maja and two for Karlan Grant.