Manchester United v Watford preview: Phil Jones to miss out for hosts
Saturday 11 February 2017 15:11, UK
Phil Jones will again be absent when Manchester United host Watford in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
The defender missed last weekend's win at Leicester with a foot injury and remains out but Marcos Rojo is available after picking up a knock at the King Power Stadium.
Jose Mourinho's side could end the weekend in the top four if they beat Watford, Arsenal lose to Hull at the Emirates and Liverpool fail to win against Tottenham.
But the Hornets are in fine form, recently recording back-to-back wins in the league, including an impressive 2-1 victory at Arsenal.
Those results have seen Walter Mazzarri's team climb into the top half of the table, although they have never won a league game at Old Trafford.
Team news
Apart from Jones, Mourinho confirmed he has no new injury concerns, with Luke Shaw and Anthony Martial pushing for game time while Wayne Rooney is back from illness.
Mazzarri will check on the fitness of Miguel Britos and Valon Behrami after both missed training days in midweek.
Nordin Amrabat (ankle), Camilo Zuniga (fever), Costel Pantilimon (ankle) and Christian Kabasele (calf) remain sidelined.
Opta stats
Manchester United have never lost a home league game against the Hornets (W7 D2 L0), winning all three against them in the Premier League.
Troy Deeney has scored two Premier League goals against the Red Devils, both penalties in the last five minutes of matches. However, he also scored a 90th minute own-goal to gift United victory in November 2015.
Wayne Rooney's three previous appearances against Watford in all competitions have yielded three goals and two assists, with United's record goalscorer registering a goal and an assist in his only previous appearance against them at Old Trafford in January 2007.
United are on their longest Premier League unbeaten run since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 (15 games - W8 D7 L0).
Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have created 27 chances for one another in the Premier League this season, with Pogba supplying three assists for the Swede - the most of any duo.
The Hornets have won their last two league games and they last won three in a row in December 2015 (a run of four).
Since United lost 0-4 to Chelsea on October 23rd 2016, only Chelsea themselves (40) have won more Premier League points than the Red Devils (31).
Merson's prediction
Watford have had a couple of good results but it's hard to look past United at Old Trafford. If they sorted out their finishing they would easily be in the top four.
When you fail to find the net a couple of times it's unlucky, but now it has to be classed as bad finishing.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-0 (6/1 with Sky Bet)
Betting
Mourinho's men head into the weekend as 80/1 shots to win the Premier League, although they have shortened to 11/10 to secure a top-four finish, while the Hornets have drifted to 22/1 to face relegation following back-to-back wins.
Ibrahimovic heads the first goalscorer betting at 11/4 with Deeney rated the visitors' main threat at 12/1 to break the deadlock.
