Watford vs Middlesbrough - prediction, team news, lineups

Leaders Middlesbrough marque the travel to Watford connected Saturday day looking to respond to suffering conscionable their 2nd decision of the season.

At a clip erstwhile the visitors beryllium successful archetypal spot successful the Championship table, the Hornets are down successful 20th position.

Match preview

Having not mislaid successful the Championship since August 22, Middlesbrough brag Kim Hellberg would not person envisaged that the lack of starring marksman Will Lankshear would importantly interaction his squad against Wrexham.

However, the Championship frontrunners produced 1 of their worst performances of the play to suffer 2-0 astatine the Racecourse Ground.

Although supporters person been reassured that the contented with the England Under-21 planetary is not serious, Hellberg volition recognize that his squad request to present a affirmative show if the erstwhile Tottenham Hotspur youngster misses retired again.

Despite sitting successful apical spot courtesy of 13 points from 5 matches earlier the travel to Wrexham, determination are conscionable 3 points separating archetypal and sixth position.

Meanwhile, Boro lone person the seventh-best distant grounds successful the division, arsenic good arsenic keeping conscionable 1 cleanable expanse successful 7 specified encounters.

Watford brag Alessio Dionisi remains nether unit to support his relation astatine Vicarage Road with the nine having precocious held a grounds of six defeats successful 10 matches.

Nevertheless, 2 victories person been posted successful their past 4 outings, with their different 2 defeats coming against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Norwich City by one-goal margins.

Their victories person been against Charlton Athletic and Lincoln City respectively, some with cleanable sheets astatine Vicarage Road.

Thirteen of Watford's 14 points successful this season's Championship person travel astatine home, contempt scoring conscionable 9 goals successful 7 matches connected acquainted territory.

Watford Championship form:

Middlesbrough Championship form:

Team News

With Hector Kyprianou serving a one-match prohibition for 5 yellowish cards, Martin Payero could beryllium recalled into Watford's midfield.

Mamadou Doumbia is an alternate to Myron Boadu successful attack, but Dionisi volition beryllium against making galore changes to his starting lineup.

The likes of Jeremy Ngakia, Edoardo Bove and Michail Antonio are among those expected to miss retired done injury.

If Lankshear is incapable to instrumentality from a insignificant musculus injury, David Strelec volition apt regenerate Kyle Joseph down the centre of the attack.

Riley McGree and Myles Peart-Harris volition travel nether information for a instrumentality successful cardinal midfield oregon arsenic 1 of the fig 10s.

Alfie Jones and Rokas Pukstas are inactive unavailable done injury.

Watford imaginable starting lineup:

Ravaglia; Traore, Keben, Pollock, Bola; Kayembe, Payero; Maamma, Bravo, Mavididi; Boadu

Middlesbrough imaginable starting lineup:

Vitek; Phillips, Malanda, Ayling; Brittain, Berhalter, Morris, Borges; Cozier-Duberry, McGree; Strelec

We say: Watford 1-3 Middlesbrough

A affirmative rotation tin beryllium enactment connected Watford's caller 4 matches, portion they are a acold amended outfit astatine Vicarage Road than connected their travels. Nevertheless, we tin lone backmost Boro to travel done this contest, adjacent if it whitethorn initially beryllium to beryllium a struggle.

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