Watford vs Derby: can Derby hold on to their top-six spot?
Matchday 33 of the English Championship brings a clash between Watford and Derby. The encounter will take place on Saturday, 21 February, with kick-off at 16:00 CET, and I have a betting tip for this fixture.
Watford vs Derby: match facts and head-to-head
- Watford are winless in eight consecutive matches: four draws and four defeats.
- In three of their last four matches, Watford have failed to score.
- Derby have lost only one of their previous six matches.
- Derby have scored at least one goal in 23 consecutive games.
- Derby have won their last three away matches.
- Only 6% of Derby’s matches this season have ended in a goalless defeat for them, compared to 21% for Watford.
- Derby have kept clean sheets in 23% of their victories, while Watford have done so in 12% of theirs.
- Watford won the most recent head-to-head meeting 3–2.
- Watford are unbeaten in their last six matches against Derby: five wins and one draw.
Watford vs Derby: match preview
Watford are enduring a difficult spell and have gone eight matches without a win, recording four draws and four defeats. They have slipped down the table and now sit 12th in the standings. After 32 rounds, they have collected 45 points and trail sixth place by just three. The table is incredibly tight, with only six points separating sixth from 16th, which means the battle for a play-off spot promises to be fiercely contested.
Derby currently occupy sixth place in the Championship table. They have amassed 48 points from 32 matches. The Rams have lost only one of their last six games and arrive in strong form, having won their previous three away fixtures. They are level on points with two other teams on 48, which underlines just how competitive the race is. The road ahead will be anything but straightforward.
Probable line-ups
- Watford: Selvik; Abankwah, Goglichidze, Pollock, Mfuni; Mendy, Kayembe; Baah, Louza, Maamma; Kjerrumgaard
- Derby: Vickers; Ward, Sanderson, Clarke, Elder; Ozoh, Travis; Brereton Diaz, Szmodics, Brewster; Agyemang
Prediction
Derby are in excellent form at the moment, particularly on the road. I expect them to pose serious problems for their opponents, so I suggest backing Derby’s team total over 0.5 goals.
