Preview: Watford vs. Blackburn Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Watford and Blackburn Rovers will be looking to boost their Championship playoff hopes when they square off at Vicarage Road on Saturday afternoon.

Just one point separates the two clubs in the standings, Watford occupying fifth spot and Blackburn in seventh having played a game fewer than their hosts.

Match preview

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Such is the environment at Vicarage Road that the managerial position is always coming under scrutiny, and that may be the case now with Slaven Bilic.

Although Watford remain in the playoffs, they are on a three-match winless streak, leaving their Croatian boss having accumulated 31 points from his 20 league games in charge.

Furthermore, just four victories have been posted in 12 fixtures, certainly not the kind of form that the owners would have anticipated at this stage, but Bilic appears to be safe for the time being.

Automatic promotion was already realistically out of the question due to the form of the top two, leaving Watford to focus on trying to extend their current one-point cushion in the top six.

However, bouncing back from letting slip a two-goal lead at Reading may prove to be easier said than done, particularly with their opponents having recently stopped their own rut.

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Blackburn are on a three-game Championship winless streak of their own, their latest failure being a goalless draw at home to bottom-placed Wigan Athletic.

Nevertheless, Jon Dahl Tomasson's side are unbeaten in four games in all competitions and have kept consecutive clean sheets, the first one coming over 120 minutes at Birmingham City in the FA Cup.

While the goals are beginning to dry up in the final third, Tomasson may value more defensive stability at this stage as they bid to remain a factor in the promotion race.

That may ring true in terms of their away performances with Blackburn having lost nine of 15 games on their travels in the second tier, their only draw coming at Bristol City last time out.

Team News

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Bilic deployed a 4-2-2-2 formation versus Reading which initially proved to be effective, and he may opt to stick with that formation on home territory.

However, there could be at least one change in personnel with Joao Pedro an alternative to either Henrique Araujo or Keinan Davis in the final third.

Ismael Kone may also return to the side in midfield, but Wesley Hoedt could have to wait for his first start since joining from Anderlecht.

Tomasson is likely to tinker with his Blackburn XI with Tyler Morton, Ryan Hedges, Sammie Szmodics and Sam Gallagher all pushing for recalls.

Even if Daniel Ayala is fit again after an ankle injury, the Spaniard may remain out of the starting lineup on the back of the clean sheet versus Wigan, and the same could apply to goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski who has a minor knee issue.

Watford possible starting lineup:

Bachmann; Gaspar, Porteous, Cathcart, Kamara; Kone, Choudhury; Martins, Sarr; Pedro, Davis

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Pears; Rankin-Costello, Carter, Wharton, Pickering; Morton, Buckley; Hedges, Dack, Brereton Diaz; Gallagher

We say: Watford 2-1 Blackburn Rovers

Despite their respective league positions, these clubs are just two of many inconsistent teams in the division. While a result is difficult to call, we have to go with the home side, who may be prepared to be more adventurous in the final third.

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