Sky Sports is showing 64 live Premier League games from the Premier League restart; 25 matches available on both Sky Sports Premier League and Sky's free-to-air Pick channel
Friday 3 July 2020 18:37, UK
The Premier League is back - but what shape are Watford in for the season restart?
Now that the Premier League is back, we run the rule over Nigel Pearson's side, from fixtures and fitness to the manager's view and more...
Sky Sports' Ron Walker:
That Watford assistant head coach Craig Shakespeare's response to next weekend's Premier League return fixture with Leicester was "bring it on" says a lot about how things have changed at the club under the current regime, even if their position is still precarious.
When Nigel Pearson took over in December, he inherited a side that looked near-dead and buried and, in a break from owner Gino Pozzo's usually considered touch, looking in a real mess with just nine points from 16 games.
After a remarkable turnaround, goal difference currently separates the Hornets from the bottom three but they will be far more confident of extending that gap with the return of Troy Deeney to the fold, and the club talisman is fully expected to be fit for next week's opener despite health concerns delaying his own comeback to training.
There were worries the new manager bounce under Pearson was over shortly before the restart following some poor results in the new year, but the return of the hugely influential Ismaila Sarr shortly before stunning Liverpool 3-0 on February 29 has given the club plenty more ammo in the battle to stay up.
Sarr was back in the goals in Watford's 2-0 win over Brentford on Saturday, but it remains to be seen whether the Hornets can wrestle back the momentum which gave them a fighting chance of survival through a six-game unbeaten run over Christmas.
The evidence of Pearson's short spell so far suggests that whether they can or not, they will certainly be up for the fight.
Watford have a relatively kind run-in compared to some of their relegation rivals - the average position of their opponents in the last nine games of the season is almost two places lower in the table than for either of Bournemouth or Aston Villa below them.
It's not an easy start with Champions League-chasing Leicester and in-form Burnley their first two fixtures, but the Hornets do have two of the teams around them, Norwich and West Ham, to play too.
If they are to beat the drop they may have to pick up points sooner rather than later, with Manchester City and Arsenal to play in their last two games of the season.
Watford v Leicester City
Kick-Off: 12:30pm
Burnley v Watford
Kick-Off: 6pm; Live on Sky Sports and Sky Sports Pick
Watford v Southampton
Kick-Off: 4.30pm; Live on Sky Sports
Chelsea vs Watford
Kick-Off: 8pm; Live on Sky Sports
Watford vs Norwich
Kick-Off: 6pm; Live on Sky Sports and Sky Pick
Watford vs Newcastle
Kick-Off: 12.30pm
West Ham vs Watford
Watford vs Man City
Arsenal vs Watford
Realistically anything above 18th will be seen as a success for Pearson given the mess Watford were in when he arrived. To refresh your memory, Watford were rock bottom with eight points from 16 games at that point and looking certain for the drop.
Now they are outside the bottom three altogether, albeit only on goal difference, and have West Ham and Brighton within their sights too. They could, theoretically, still finish in the top half but probability dictates 13th is about as high as they can hope for.
That will take some doing in itself with an eight-point gap to make up to Newcastle in only nine games, but never say never. Pearson's side took 14 points from six games shortly after his arrival and beat Liverpool in their last home game before the coronavirus outbreak, so they have certainly got the potential to string some good results together.
Nope. An FA Cup exit at the hands of Tranmere came as no huge shock given Pearson named a young team to face the League One side, with Premier League safety very much the priority this summer.
Captain Troy Deeney initially said he did not feel safe returning to Watford training, but has since rejoined his team-mates at London Colney after discussions with health professionals.
However, one of those team-mates, Adrian Mariappa, tested positive for coronavirus in the first round of Premier League testing announced on March 22, so has missed a fortnight of his side's training preparations.
Long-term absentees Gerard Deulofeu, who suffered a ruptured ACL in the win over Liverpool in February, is back running but still a way from full fitness, while the condition of Daryl Janmaat (knee) and Jose Holebas (foot fracture) is still to be confirmed.
Holebas, along with Mariappa and Heurelho Gomes have each agreed contract extensions to cover the delayed finish to the 2019/20 campaign, while Ben Foster has signed a new two-year deal to remain at the club until 2022.
Under Pearson, Watford have taken 18 points from 13 games, but had won only one of their last seven games going into the coronavirus break.
Bizarrely, that victory had come against previously unbeaten Liverpool in a shock 3-0 thumping at Vicarage Road, but was followed up with a below-par 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.
Having conceded only four goals in the first seven games of Pearson's reign, the floodgates opened into the new year, shipping 10 in their last six, with the most alarming result a 3-2 home defeat, from two goals up, at home to Everton in February.
Pearson's mood has been a sombre one with regards to the Premier League's resumption; last month he warned of the dangers of a fatality in the division, before its return was confirmed.
However, in the same interview with The Sunday Times he conceded "it would be a lot more satisfying to finish the season and remain in the Premier League on merit", and, with first-hand experience of managing in all four of England's professional divisions, said: "We have a responsibility to try and make sure the industry survives."
The bookmakers have Watford down as odds-on to regain their Premier League status for the 2020/21 campaign. Even with the controversy over who may or may not be playing for Nigel Pearson's side when football restarts, Watford should have the quality to get over the line, particularly if club captain Troy Deeney plays and links up with Gerard Deulofeu and Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Watford to stay up - 1/3 with Sky Bet
Sky Sports will show 64 live Premier League games when the season resumes. In addition to the 39 matches already scheduled to be broadcast exclusively live on Sky Sports before the coronavirus interruption, 25 more matches will be available on both Sky Sports Premier League and Sky's free-to-air Pick channel, allowing the whole nation to be part of the return of live sport.
Free-to-watch highlights of every remaining Premier League game this season will be available from shortly after the full-time whistle on the Sky Sports website, Sky Sports App and Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.
