Watford vs Chelsea Match Preview and Expert Prediction

Watford	vs	Chelsea
	Kick off: 15:00 Date: Sat, 20-Aug-16

TEAM NEWS

Watford are on the brink of signing Younes Kaboul and Roberto Pereyra but it remains to be seen whether they will be available to face Chelsea.

Brice Dja Djedje and Isaac Success remain sidelined, while Ben Watson is suspended after being sent off 12 minutes after coming on at Southampton.
Chelsea have no fresh injury concerns and could be unchanged from the side that beat West Ham on Monday.
Mikel John Obi remains on international duty with Nigeria at the Olympic Games.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Watford's only win in the last 15 league and cup meetings came at home in the first Premier League fixture between the sides 17 years ago (W1, D5, L9).

Watford

• The Hornets have only earned four wins and 17 points from 21 matches since Boxing Day.
• Their only home win in the last seven attempts was by 3-2 against relegated Aston Villa in April when Troy Deeney scored two late goals.
• Deeney has been involved in six of Watford's last seven Premier League goals, scoring four and setting up two.

Chelsea

• The Blues have earned an unrivalled 20 points from away matches in 2016, two more than next-best Leicester and Tottenham (W6, D2, L2).
• Antonio Conte has lost just one of his last 31 league games as a club manager (W28, D2, L1).
• Eden Hazard has scored five goals in his last six league appearances - having previously gone 29 league games without scoring.
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  Missing Players

  Player	Reason	Status
  Ben Watson		Out
  Brice Dja Djédjé		Doubtful
  Isaac Success		Doubtful

  Player	Reason	Status
  Kurt Zouma		Out
  Marco van Ginkel		Out

  Team News

  Watford

  • Walter Mazzarri will be without Ben Watson for the welcome of Chelsea after the midfielder picked up the Premier League's first red card of the new season. He could stick with the same XI that drew 1-1 with Southampton last time out. Mazzarri will make a late decision on the fitness of Isaac Success.

  Chelsea

  • Antonio Conte is without injured pair Kurt Zouma and Marco van Ginkel for Saturday's away trip to Watford.
  • Cesc Fabregas could only make the bench in the 2-1 win over West Ham and that has fuelled suggestions he will leave the club before the transfer window shuts. All eyes will be on whether he starts on Saturday or not.

  Match Facts

  Chelsea have kept a clean sheet in 6 of their last 8 matches against Watford in all competitions.
  Chelsea are undefeated in their last 10 matches against Watford in all competitions.

  Prediction

  • Antonio Conte's reign at Chelsea got off to a winning start following Diego Costa's late winner against West Ham on Monday. They were fortunate not to have Diego Costa and N'Golo Kante sent off in that encounter.
  • Watford earned a hard earned point against Southampton despite going down to 10 men with less than 15 minutes remaining. They haven't beaten Chelsea in any competitive match since 1999, although they did draw both fixtures last season. 
  • CHELSEA WIN OR DRAW - FINAL VERDICT: