Watford v Everton preview: Sanchez Flores and Martinez looking to turn around league form
Saturday 9 April 2016 15:04, UK
Watford will be looking to put an end to their poor run of form when they face Everton on Saturday afternoon.
Quique Sanchez Flores' side are currently 14th in the table, but have suffered four straight losses in a row and a draw.
Watford will want to put an end to the perception that they're focused only on their FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace on April 23.
One of the other FA Cup semi-finalists, Everton, have lost their last three league matches with their most recent game seeing them lose 1-0 defeat to Manchester United on Super Sunday.
Team news
Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores has no fresh injury concerns ahead of Everton's trip to Vicarage Road.
Midfielder Valon Behrami will return to the Hornets' squad after he missed the defeat at Arsenal through sickness.
Defender Joel Ekstrand, having only recently returned from a serious knee injury, is unlikely to feature.
Gareth Barry returns from suspension for Everton. The midfielder sat out the defeats by Arsenal and Manchester United following his sending off in the FA Cup quarter-final win over Chelsea.
Full-back Leighton Baines is set to be included after apologising for his comments about the team's lack of chemistry but midfielders Leon Osman and Steven Pienaar are doubts.
Opta stats
In the reverse fixture at Goodison Park, Watford twice led but could only hold onto a 2-2 draw. Ross Barkley and Arouna Kone both scored in the final 15 minutes for Everton.
Everton have won nine of their last 10 games against the Hornets in all competitions (W9 D1 L0), last losing to Watford in March 1987.
Only Crystal Palace (3) have gained fewer points than the Hornets in 2016 (8).
Everton have suffered three consecutive league defeats; they last lost four in a row between December 2014 and January 2015.
The Toffees have also failed to find the back of the net in their last two Premier League games; they last failed to score in three consecutive top-flight games in April 2006 (four in total in that run).
Watford have lost each of their last four league games; they last suffered five consecutive league defeats back in November 2008, when in the Championship.
Of English players in the Premier League this season, only Leicester's Marc Albrighton (58) has created more chances than both Troy Deeney and Ross Barkley (48 each).
The Toffees have earned 499 points on the road in the Premier League.
Watford have lost two in a row at home in the Premier League; they've never suffered three consecutive home defeats in the competition.
Merson's predictions
Well what Watford team are going to turn up? Is it the one that's a decent team or the other one? Watford got well beaten by Arsenal on Saturday.
They've got one eye on the FA Cup semi-final as I'm sure Everton will do as well and neither team can do anything in terms of the Premier League table.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-2 (Sky Bet odds 15/2)
Betting
Everton are Sky Bet's 23/20 favourites despite their indifferent form, with Watford priced at 9/4 and the draw available at 12/5. Romelu Lukaku heads the first goalscorer betting followed by Odion Ighalo, with the strike duo 11/2 both to find the net. Matt Le Tissier, Phil Thompson and Jamie Redknapp are all tipping Lukaku to net first, which Sky Bet are offering at 5/1 in their Price Boosts.
