Watford will host Preston North End in the next Championship round on Tuesday, 21 January.
Will Watford get revenge over Preston for the loss in the first half of the season or will the guests get the better of them once again? Read our Watford vs Preston prediction and preview to find out.
Contents
Watford vs Preston prediction: A low-scoring affair likely
Key Stats
- Watford have averaged just 2.23 total goals per game at home in the Championship so far.
- Preston have gone under 2.5 total goals in 59% of their matches in the league this season.
- Three of the previous five meetings between Watford and Preston have ended in draws.
Correct score prediction: Watford 0-0 Preston
With Preston in better form recently, we can see them putting up a fight against Watford who are ahead in the standings and hosting the game. In fact, we wouldn't be surprised to see a scoreless draw on Tuesday since that has happened three times in the last five duels between Watford and Preston.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Bookies backing up Watford
- HOME: 23/20 (2.15) – 46.50%
- DRAW: 23/10 (3.30) – 30.30%
- AWAY: 5/2 (3.50) – 28.60%
*odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
If we look at the Watford vs Preston odds, we can see that the hosts are the expected winners, although the guests are certainly not without a chance either.
This makes sense considering that Watford are ahead of Preston in the standings and hosting the match, but Preston have been in better form recently.
In any case, if you liked our picks for this match, remember to also look at our latest betting tips for today.
Most recent H2Hs: A tied matchup lately
Three of the last five meetings between Watford and Preston have ended in draws, along with one win for each team. Meanwhile, if we look at their overall H2H record, we can see that Preston have the advantage over Watford: 18-14-11.
England Championship 02/10/24
Preston
Watford
England Championship 06/04/24
Watford
Preston
England Championship 16/12/23
Preston
Watford
England Championship 04/03/23
Watford
Preston
England Championship 20/08/22
Preston
Watford
Watford preview: Hoping to build on the weekend's win
After four matches without a victory in the league, Watford have ended this poor run this weekend with a win over Derby County. Overall, Watford are eighth in the Championship with 41 points from 27 matches, which is the same number of points as the first team in the playoff zone at the moment.
When it comes to team news, Daniel Bachmann, Pierre Dsomoh, and Kevin Keben are on Watford's injury list.
Predicted lineup: Bond (GK), Abankwah, Sierralta, Pollock, Baah, Louza, Dele-Bashiru, Ngakia, Kayembe, Bayo & Vata
England Championship 03/05/25
D
Sheff Wed
1
Watford
1
England Championship 26/04/25
L
Blackburn
2
Watford
1
England Championship 21/04/25
L
Portsmouth
1
Watford
0
England Championship 18/04/25
L
Burnley
2
Watford
1
England Championship 12/04/25
L
West Brom
2
Watford
1
Preston preview: In good form and looking for more
With two wins, two draws, and one loss in their last five Championship fixtures, Preston North End have done well recently and they've managed to climb to the 16th place in the standings, so they're now five points ahead of the first team in the relegation zone. Preston have also managed to beat Charlton in the FA Cup to secure their place in the 4th Round.
Another positive for Preston at the moment is the fact that only Brad Potts is injured, while the rest of the squad is ready to go.
Predicted lineup: Woodman (GK), Storey, Lindsay, Gibson, Kesler-Hayden, Ledson, McCann, Hughes, Keane, Osmajic & Greenwood
England Championship 03/05/25
D
Bristol City
2
Preston
2
England Championship 26/04/25
L
Plymouth
2
Preston
1
England Championship 21/04/25
L
Hull
2
Preston
1
England Championship 18/04/25
L
QPR
2
Preston
1
England Championship 12/04/25
L
Leeds
2
Preston
1
Player to watch: Vakoun Issouf Bayo
While we can see this match ending without any goals, if there is a player capable of breaking this deadlock, it is Bayo. The experienced Ivory Coast international has 10 goals in the Championship this season and he'll be the biggest threat to Preston in this match.
