Watford vs Preston prediction, H2H & Probable Line-ups – January 21, 2025
One of the matches of the 28th round of the Championship will take place on Tuesday at "Vicarage Road," where Watford will host Preston. We propose a bet on goals in this encounter with a good chance of success.
Match Preview
Watford was widely considered a strong contender, if not for a direct promotion spot, then at least for a top-six finish and a playoff berth. However, a lack of consistency in the first half of the season prevented Tom Cleverley’s side from solidifying their position in the upper part of the table.
Currently, the "Hornets" sit in 8th place with 41 points, trailing West Bromwich only on goal difference. It’s worth noting that Watford has already been eliminated from the FA Cup following a decisive 1:4 loss to Fulham in the London derby at "Craven Cottage." Subsequently, they drew 1:1 with Cardiff City and secured a 2:0 away win over Derby County.
Preston’s primary objective is straightforward – to maintain their Championship status. At the moment, they are on safe ground, holding a five-point buffer above the relegation zone. The end of 2024 was successful for the "Lilywhites," who claimed consecutive wins over Hull City (1:0) and Sheffield Wednesday (3:1).
However, the start of the new year has been less encouraging. First came an away defeat to West Bromwich (1:3), followed by a 1:1 draw against a direct competitor, Oxford. Most recently, Preston faced bottom-placed Luton away and managed only a 0:0 draw.
Probable Lineups
- Watford: Bachmann – Pollock, Sierralta, Andrews – Ogbonna, Kayembe, Louza, Ngakia – Chakvetadze, Vata, Baa.
- Preston: Woodman – Hughes, Lindsay, Storey – Kesler-Hayden, Whiteman, McCann, Holmes – Greenwood – Riis, Keane.
Match Facts and Head-to-Head
- In the first round, Preston defeated Watford 3:0.
- Three out of five meetings between these teams ended with a 0:0 scoreline.
- The "Both Teams to Score" bet succeeded in two out of the last five matches.
Prediction
Bookmakers slightly favor the hosts, pricing Watford's victory at 2.08 odds. We believe this match won’t feature many goals, and our recommended bet is "Under 2.5 Total Goals" at odds of 1.75.
