Watford vs Bournemouth
England – Premier League
Date: Saturday, 26 October 2019
Kick-off at 15:00 UK / 16:00 CET
Venue: Vicarage Road (Watford).
Match preview
Every club who felt compelled to sack manager during the international break September usually also find himself staring down the barrel of relegation.
In addition, Watford 8-0 mauling at the hands of Manchester City last month was, despite the obvious quality of their opponents, a sign that things are not at all good in Hertfordshire club.
Having finished 12th and reached the FA Cup final in May, not many would have predicted such a sudden drop in form, but Watford has always been a club that seems to be forced to enact rapid change.
Javi Gracia club's decision to fire and replace them with Sanchez Flores is part of a broader push to keep things fresh, to continue to avoid the prospect of stagnation. Nobody besides Gracia has lasted more than one full season as manager since 2013.
This vicious cycle may haave finally caught up with Watford, which will be supported by a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur last week but remained concerned at their inability to find a way of picking up results against the teams around them.
Opta stats
The home team had never won in eight previous Premier League meetings between Watford and Bournemouth (D6 L2) - no fixtures in the competition has been played more without a home win (Leicester v West Brom are also eight).
Premier League fixtures have been played at least six times, Watford vs Bournemouth has been finished as a draw in meeting the highest percentage (75% - 6/8).
Watford without a win in their opening nine Premier League matches this season (D4 L5); if they fail to beat Bournemouth, they will equal their longest start of the league campaign without a victory (10 - 2006-07). Seven of the last eight teams that failed to win their opening 10 games of the season relegated, with the exception Newcastle last season.
Watford defender Jose Holebas has received 41 cards in 108 Premier League matches (40 yellow, 1 red); 100+ players have made appearances in the competition, no player has a higher average than the game per card (2.6 games per card).
Bournemouth striker Josh King has scored five goals in the last six Premier League appearances against Watford, with four goals coming in Vicarage Road.
Prediction
Watford held Tottenham to a 1-1 draw last weekend, but still looking for their first Premier League win of the season.
Bournemouth also draw last weekend, were held 0-0 at home to newly promoted Norwich. They have failed to win their last four matches in all competitions.
Watford will hope to take advantage of the poor performances Bournemouth to get their first league victory, while Bournemouth would believe that they should get back to winning ways against the league's bottom club.
Prediction: Watford 2: 1 Bournemouth
