[Albion] Watford vs Brighton & Hove Albion *** Official Match Thread ***

[Dick Head]

Watford v Albion

PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue: Vicarage Road
Date: Saturday 12th February 2022
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Jonathan Moss
Assistants: Marc Perry, Timothy Wood
Fourth Official: Peter Bankes
VAR: Lee Mason
Additional VAR: Simon Beck
​

TEAM NEWS

Watford's Africa Cup of Nations winner Ismaila Sarr returned to training on Friday and could make his first appearance for the club since November.

January signing Samuel Kalu awaits his debut, while Rob Elliot is fit after injury and Kwadwo Baah has recovered from a fractured ankle.

Leandro Trossard and Alexis Mac Allister are available for Brighton after recovering from Covid-19.

Enock Mwepu and Jeremy Sarmiento are still missing through injury.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• 
  [*=left]Brighton won 2-0 in the reverse fixture and can beat Watford in consecutive league matches for the first time since the 1990-91 season in the second tier.
  [*=left]Watford's sole Premier League victory in seven meetings was by 2-0 at Vicarage Road on the opening weekend of the 2018-19 campaign.

Watford

• 
  [*=left]Watford have equalled the club top-flight record of five consecutive home defeats, set from February to April 1988.
  [*=left]It's 16 home league games without a clean sheet for the Hornets since a 3-0 victory against Liverpool on 29 February 2020.
  [*=left]They have the division's worst defensive home record, conceding 25 goals.
  [*=left]Watford are winless in 11 matches in all competitions since beating Manchester United 4-1 at Vicarage Road in the league in November (D2, L9).
  [*=left]They failed to score in either of their opening two Premier League fixtures under Roy Hodgson.
  [*=left]The Hornets have lost 15 of their 22 top-flight games this season; no side has fared as badly in a 38-match Premier League season and gone on to avoid relegation.

Albion

• 
  [*=left]Brighton have equalled the club Premier League record of six consecutive matches without defeat, set from January to February 2021. That streak was ended in a 2-1 home defeat by Roy Hodgson's Crystal Palace.
  [*=left]Their only longer unbeaten top-flight run spanned eight games from October to November 1981.
  [*=left]Twelve of Albion's past 17 league fixtures have been drawn. The six most recent draws all ended 1-1 as a result of Brighton equalisers.
  [*=left]All six of their Premier League wins this season were against teams currently below them in the table.
  [*=left]Brighton have only lost once in 11 away league matches this season - at Aston Villa in November.
  [*=left]Graham Potter is winless in his five games as a manager against Roy Hodgson in all competitions (D2, L3).

Graham Potter's Watford Press Conference



[tweet]1492498727394709506[/tweet]

https://twitter.com/OfficialBHAFC/status/1492498727394709506

 

[dadams2k11]

First double for the season is up for grabs.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

First double for the season is up for grabs.

Well, after Brentford.

 

[B-right-on]

Aaaaaaand we're loooose.....


A repeat of GPotts first game in charge please lads.

 

[stss30]

Would be so nice to win today, particularly as teams around us in the table have dropped points. We'll need to play much better than we did against Spurs though, hopefully back to a back 3 and with Dunk and Webster having had some minutes in the legs, fingers crossed we'll look more like ourselves defensively.

I'm wary of a rear guard action from Watford now Roy is in charge, be nice to get an early goal and lead for once instead of having to try and comeback, as if they nick the lead it could be a frustrating afternoon.

 

[BBassic]

Every single Watford bullet point screams to me "until Brighton roll in to town"

But think we'll batter them. We're due a stonking win.

 

[Justice]

You will all think I’m insane, dreamt it will end 1-1 last night. To top it all off we went 1-0 down and pulled off a very unlikely late equaliser

 

[Icy Gull]

You will all think I’m insane, dreamt it will end 1-1 last night. To top it all off we went 1-0 down and pulled off a very unlikely late equaliser

It’s called Groundhog Day

I keep hoping for a very long awaited big win but in the back of my mind I also worry that we haven’t had a stuffing either. Which will come first?

 

[Originunknown]

A Roy Hodgson side at Vicarage road, why am I so excited. All 11 or just the 10 men behind the ball?

 

[Beach Hut]

So excited

 

[Mortdecai]

 

[Justice]

It’s called Groundhog Day

I keep hoping for a very long awaited big win but in the back of my mind I also worry that we haven’t had a stuffing either. Which will come first?

GP v a low block team .. ‘ shudder’ .

 

[Marty___Mcfly]

Will Elton or Rod be starting for them?

 

[rogersix]

got the fear about this one, has potter ever beaten hodge podge?

and anyone know when sarmiento is back?

 

[Perfidious Albion]

It’s match day! I always feel good match day mornings- and it’s at 3 o clock…….
Watford ? Should be a doddle……. No, perhaps not , we love to make things hard for ourselves…. but I am hoping for a good result
This is definitely winnable if we get the team and tactics right and everyone turns up and has a good game

Some big ifs… but here’s hoping and I will enjoy an afternoon huddled over the radio with the dulcet tones of Warren A .

 

[Beach Hut]

has potter ever beaten hodge podge?

Clue in the opening thread

 

[rogersix]

Clue in the opening thread

 

[dazzer6666]

Not excited.

 

[dadams2k11]

Well, after Brentford.

This

 

[oldboyroy]

Really need to win this to keep us in the top half.....let's win a game that on paper we should win