Watford vs Burnley preview: Top-six finish a possibility, says Javi Gracia

Watford will look to build on their best start to a Premier League campaign when Burnley visit Vicarage Road on Saturday.

Javi Gracia's men have a haul of 32 points from 22 Premier League games which is their highest total at this stage of a Premier League season.

They are currently seventh in the table, nine points behind Manchester United in sixth.

Watford won the reverse fixture at Turf Moor in August with Andre Gray, Troy Deeney and Will Hughes all scoring in a 3-1 victory. A home win would see the Hornets complete a league double over Burnley for the first time since 2003.

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Gracia thinks finishing in the top six is within the capabilities of his team if they remain positive.

He said: "If in this moment, you could say to me we are going to be sixth, I would sign.

"In this moment we try to do our best and try to get the best achievement possible, after we'll see what happens. If you say to me we finish sixth, it's even better."

The Clarets head to Watford looking for a fourth straight Premier League win.

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Team news

Hughes is expected to miss out for Watford after sustaining a suspected concussion in the win over Crystal Palace last weekend.

Gray and Christian Kabasele have returned to training and could feature.

Burnley winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson faces a late fitness test on his thigh.

Defensive duo Matt Lowton and Phil Bardsley are both carrying unspecified knocks but manager Sean Dyche is hopeful at least one will take to the field at Vicarage Road.

Midfielder Steven Defour and defender Stephen Ward are in contention after featuring for the U23s earlier this week but goalkeeper Nick Pope will definitely miss out, as will the suspended Robbie Brady.

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Opta stats

• Watford are looking to do the league double over Burnley for the first time since the 2002-03 second-tier campaign, having won the reverse fixture 3-1 at Turf Moor
• Burnley won this exact fixture 2-1 last season - they have not won back-to-back away league games against Watford since February 2002
• None of the 19 previous league meetings between Watford and Burnley at Vicarage Road have ended goalless, with Watford failing to score just twice
• Watford have won nine points from losing positions in the Premier League so far this season - in no campaign in the competition have they previously won more (also nine in 2017-18)
• Watford have lost just one of their last seven Premier League games (W3 D3)
• Burnley have come from behind to win their last two Premier League games - the last side to win three in a row having been behind in the competition was Arsenal in March 2012 (a run of four)
• Burnley are looking to win four consecutive Premier League games for the first time since a run of five in April 2018
• Burnley are looking to win their first three top-flight games in a calendar year for the first time since 1958
• Burnley have won their last three Premier League games - as many as they had in their previous 24 in the competition (W3 D5 L16)

Merson's prediction

Watford are a Super 6 nightmare - they can ruin you! They could win this 3-0 and you wouldn't be shocked but then a 1-0 Burnley win wouldn't surprise me. Sean Dyche has got Burnley back to what they're good at but they didn't have a shot on target last weekend! That is extraordinary.

I'll give Watford the edge.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (12/1 with Sky Bet)

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