Watford vs Aston Villa. Premier League.
Vicarage RoadAttendance20,653.
Saturday 30 April 2016 16:46, UK
Quique Sanchez Flores' future at Vicarage Road hangs in the balance despite guiding Watford away from danger and into 12th position in the league.
The club owners issued the dreaded vote of confidence in midweek and even a strong finish to the season might not be enough to keep his job.
Aston Villa have one last chance to stop their run of defeats matching the club record of 11 set in 1963, but they head into the game having lost 25 games already this season.
The atmosphere at Villa Park last week was toxic, but the players are going to need as much help as they can get to avoid this unwanted record.
Team news
Odion Ighalo is expected to play despite the death of his father last weekend.
Ighalo's father died shortly after Sunday's FA Cup semi-final defeat against Crystal Palace, but the striker trained this week and is available.
Etienne Capoue will miss the game at Vicarage Road with a knee injury he sustained at Wembley and is likely to sit out the remainder of the season.
Gabby Agbonlahor's club suspension has been lifted after he quit as Aston Villa's club captain following an investigation, but he will not travel to Watford.
The striker will be available for selection from Monday, after he was banned as pictures apparently showed him partying in the aftermath of Villa's relegation.
Jores Okore will not be considered after saying he was not in the right frame of mind to be on the bench against Bournemouth earlier this month.
Libor Kozak (ankle) is out while Jordan Amavi remains sidelined with a long-term knee injury and Micah Richards is a doubt, also with a knee injury, while Kieran Richardson is unavailable with a calf problem.
Opta stats
Watford will be looking to secure two league wins in a single season against Aston Villa for the first time since 1969-70.
The Hornets have lost just one of their previous eight league meetings against Aston Villa at Vicarage Road (won four, drawn three); this coming in August 1999.
After Odion Ighalo (14) and Troy Deeney (nine), 'own goals' is Watford's third top goalscorer in the Premier League this season (three). One of those was Alan Hutton's in the reverse fixture.
Ighalo has averaged a goal every 1,200 mins in the Premier League since New Year, compared to a goal every 122 mins before January 1.
Heurelho Gomes (11 clean sheets) needs one more clean sheet this season in the Premier League to equal his best ever tally in the English top-flight (12 for Spurs in both 2008-09 and 2009-10).
Watford have won 13 points from their last 17 Premier League matches (won three, drawn four), compared to a tally of 28 in their first 17 PL games of 2015-16 (won eight, drawn four).
Troy Deeney has been involved in a league-high 408 aerial duels this season, also winning the most (210).
Aston Villa have kept a clean sheet in four of their last five league games against Watford, but shipped three goals in their Premier League meeting earlier this season at Villa Park.
Aston Villa have lost 10 successive league matches - their longest sequence of league defeats since May 1963 (11 in a row).
Villa have lost 25 Premier League games this season - the record tally of defeats in a single Premier League season is 29; set by Derby in 2007-08, Sunderland in 2005-06 and Ipswich in 1994-95.
Merson's prediction
Watford are gone. They put all their eggs in one basket and lost in the FA Cup semi-final. People will think I'm going mad because Villa are absolutely shocking, but I don't think there are a million miles between these two teams, just one has two good strikers and the other team doesn't.
But how many games have Watford won in the last 10? The semi-final result was a kick in the teeth for them, but I think Villa still have to score first. If Watford do they'll run away with it.
Paul predicts: Watford 1-1 Aston Villa - Jordan Ayew to score first
Betting
Sky Bet make the Hornets 7/10 favourites to take all three points, while Villa are at 17/4 to pick up their first win in 10 matches. After netting in their FA Cup semi-final Watford striker Troy Deeney is priced up at 5/6 to score anytime.
Soccer Saturday pundit Charlie Nicholas has picked both Deeney and striking partner Odion Ighalo to score which Sky Bet have Price Boosted from 3/1 to 100/30. See all the odds and tips from our other Sky Sports pundits here.
