🔥Watford v Wolves🔥[LIVE]

Happy new year threadsters

What could be better than starting the new year with another exhilarating match thread

Live @ https://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/416789
One match ban enabled

Watford await news on whether Craig Cathcart and Will Hughes will be fit after they were forced off against Aston Villa with injuries.

Roberto Pereyra missed that win because of illness and will also be assessed, while Adrian Mariappa is suspended.

Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo is expected to recall the players he rested against Liverpool.

That would see Matt Doherty, Raul Jimenez, Romain Saiss and Adama Traore come back into the starting line-up.

Patrick Cutrone withdrew from the squad at Liverpool due to illness, but is set to return at Watford.

Wolves captain Conor Coady claims VAR is confusing and 'not working'
January transfer window 2020: Who could be on the move?
@johnrodercomm: It was only a few weeks ago that the outlook for Watford seemed bleak. They seemed certain to be relegated after five seasons in the Premier League, but the arrival of Nigel Pearson has dramatically changed the mood at Vicarage Road.

Wolves' long season, which began back in July in the Europa League, has been enthralling, as well as demanding. Raul Jimenez will presumably return to lead the attack in a fixture in which he scored last season.

The chance to compare Jimenez and Watford's talismanic captain Troy Deeney will be fascinating in a fixture both teams hope will start the New Year in style.

VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT

Watford assistant coach Craig Shakespeare: "What we've tried to instil is that competitive spirit - the team ethic is vitally important.

"For me, the biggest words you can use for a team are desire, enthusiasm and drive.

"The whole club is buying into the environment and culture we are trying to create. Hopefully this will stand us in good stead."

Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo on his ambitions: "I truly believe there is a lot of space to improve because of the way we do things.

"We have a very small squad, the players involved are basically the same as last season.

"So if we can improve our performance at the same time the transfer window is open and try to bring in things the team needs - different characteristics - there is a lot of space to improve."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Head-to-head

Wolves could win three consecutive league fixtures against Watford for the first time.
They have won three of their past four league games away to Watford, one more than they had in their first 15 league visits to Vicarage Road.
Watford

The seven points earned by Watford in their last three matches under Nigel Pearson is as many as Quique Sanchez Flores managed in his 10 games in charge this season.
They could go unbeaten in four successive Premier League fixtures for the first time in a year.
Watford have kept three successive clean sheets at home in the league for the first time since April 2017. They have never kept four in a row at Vicarage Road in the top flight.
They are winless in all seven top-flight matches on New Year's Day (D5, L2).
The Hornets lost their first league game in each of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. They last won their first league game of a decade in the 1960s, beating Exeter 5-2 in the old Fourth Division.
Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves lost for the first time in eight away league outings against Liverpool on 29 December.
They have conceded the first goal in an unrivalled 13 league games this season. However, they've only gone on to lose four of those matches.
The most recent occasion they won their first top-flight fixture of the year was 1981: 3-0 at home to Middlesbrough.
Wolves have played 34 matches in all competitions, more than any other top-flight side this season.
Raul Jimenez has been directly involved in 26 goals in all competitions this season (17 goals, nine assists), more than any other Premier League player.
He needs one goal to move level with Steven Fletcher as Wolves' all-time leading Premier League scorer, with 22 goals.