Last season's two automatically-promoted Championship clubs locked horns at Vicarage Road on matchday 27 in the Premier League as Watford welcomed Bournemouth.
It was a game with few clear-cut chances and finished goalless, with Watford holding on to their place in the top half of the table and Bournemouth edging five points clear of the bottom three.
Relive it all with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Afternoon folks! Just under half an hour until kickoff in this match between the two sides who came up automatically from the Championship last season.
Last May it was Bournemouth who wrote all the headlines by nicking the Championship title in dramatic fashion, but this year Watford have made more noise in the top flight and impressively come into this match in the top half of the table, just four points behind that magical total of 40 which is usually enough for safety.
As for Bournemouth, they lie 15th after 26 matches of their debut Premier League season and there have been some really impressive performances along the way, but they have struggled for consistency and come into this match on a losing streak of three games in all competitions.
Some Premier League teams have had a couple of weeks off due to the FA Cup, but both of these sides were in fifth-round action last weekend, with Watford ousting Leeds United to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in nine years, while Bournemouth fell 2-0 at home to Everton.
Time for some team news then, wouldn't you say?
WATFORD XI: Gomes; Paredes, Britos, Cathcart, Ake; Capoue, Watson, Behrami; Amrabat, Deeney; Ighalo
Subs: Pantilimon, Nyom, Holebas, Prodl, Suarez, Anya, Abdi
Subs: Pantilimon, Nyom, Holebas, Prodl, Suarez, Anya, Abdi
BOURNEMOUTH XI: Boruc; Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels; Surman, Arter; Ritchie, Stanislas, King; Afobe
Subs: Federici, Elphick, Distin, Gosling, Iturbe, Gradel, Murray
Subs: Federici, Elphick, Distin, Gosling, Iturbe, Gradel, Murray
Four changes for Watford there, with Heurelho Gomes, Nathan Ake, Valon Behrami and Odion Ighalo coming in for Costel Pantilimon, Jose Holebas, Mario Suarez and Almen Abdi from the Hornets' FA Cup victory over Leeds United last weekend.
As for Bournemouth, the big news for them is that Max Gradel is back in the matchday squad for the first time in six months. Club captain Tommy Elphick is also on the bench, but not chosen to start like some expected that he would today.
You feel that this match is a little bigger for Bouremouth and this man, especially after Sunderland's defeat to West Ham in the early kickoff, which means that Bournemouth can definitely pull further away from one of their relegation rivals here.
SNAPSHOT: #afcb manager Eddie Howe emerges from the tunnel here ahead of #WATBOU. pic.twitter.com/Sk2nEVHEDN — AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) February 27, 2016
H2H STAT: Bournemouth are unbeaten in four against Watford, but three of those matches have finished 1-1, including the reverse in October when Ighalo equalised after Glenn Murray had given the Cherries the lead.
This will be the 100th league meeting between these two teams, with both sides having won 35 of the matches.
Here come the two teams out of the tunnel. Bournemouth in their pink away kit today. The referee is Anthony Taylor.
KICKOFF! Off we go then. Can Bournemouth pull further clear of the bottom three, or will Watford win and climb up to eighth?
CLOSE! Bournemouth start well and threaten with a deep Smith cross, but it's Watford who have the first real chance as Ighalo does superbly to ride a couple of challenges before having his shot turned behind.
High-octane start at Vicarage Road and this fixture usually has plenty of incident; the previous five league meetings between the two sides have produced a total of four penalties and two red cards.
CLOSE! Watford's top scorer Ighalo looks in the mood today. He goes close again with a first-time shot from Paredes's cross that goes wide of the mark.
Watford have failed to score in four of their last six Premier League matches and one of the main reasons for this is strike duo Ighalo and Deeney going off the boil a little; between them the pair have managed only five goals in Watford's last 10 matches.
Bournemouth have had more possession early on and they've just had their first shot at goal, but Arter's effort was dragged wide of the mark.
H2H STAT: Bournemouth have been awarded five penalties in their last four games against Watford, but have scored only two of them.
Ighalo and Arter battle for the ball early on at Vicarage Road
© Getty Images
© Getty Images
Oh dear! Bournemouth have had plenty of injury problems this season and here's another one as Stanislas pulls up holding his hamstring while he was dribbling forward. That's his afternoon over and will we see Gradel earlier than expected?
BOURNEMOUTH SUB: It is Gradel! The Ivorian is on for his first appearance in six months, with Howe opting for him over Iturbe to replace Stanislas.
Bright start by Gradel as he immediately takes on Capoue and Paredes before being crowded out. His comeback really could be huge for Bournemouth as we enter the final three months of the season.
Bournemouth have had more of the possession early on (55%), but Watford are the ones who have gone closest, with Ighalo twice threatening early on.
Deeney, who is making his 250th Watford appearance today, tries his luck with a tough chance and makes a real mess of it. Not much quality from either side as of yet.
By the way, there's been no goals in any of the four 3pm Premier League kickoffs today. If there are, you should be following @SM_LiveScores if you're on Twitter for instant GOAL updates. Ta! 👍
Ighalo's early shot that Boruc tipped over remains the only shot on target so far as the scrappy nature of the game continues. Both sides committed a couple of niggling fouls the last couple of minutes.
Cherries striker Afobe is not having much joy in attack for the visitors so far
© Getty Images
© Getty Images
Watson with a dangerous-looking corner that appears to be going over Boruc, but the Polish keeper adjusts well to pluck it out of the sky.
UPDATE: A goal! Southampton, who have kept six straight clean sheets, lead Chelsea at St Mary's. Shane Long with the goal.
Just the one minute of added time before the interval.
HALF-TIME: WATFORD 0-0 BOURNEMOUTH
Not the best half of footy there. The only shot on target came very early on when Ighalo was denied by Boruc. Since then very little has happened, with Watford probably just edging it. Back soon for the second half!
Time for the second 45 then and surely things can only get better after a drab opening half.
KICKOFF! Watford get us back underway. No changes at half time from either manager, but remember, Howe was forced into a first-half sub when Stanislas went off injured and was replaced by Gradel.
It was Watford who started quickly in the first half, but Bournemouth have already threatened in the second half with a dangerous Daniels cross that was headed out well by Ake.
UPDATE: Shane Long's goal for Southampton against Chelsea was the only Premier League goal in the first half of today's four 3pm kickoffs. It's also Leicester 0-0 Norwich and Stoke 0-0 Villa.
CHANCE! Bournemouth's first moment of note in the match as Ritchie does brilliantly down the right before crossing with his weaker foot and picking out King, who steered it over the top.
CHANCE! Much better from Bournemouth in the second half and they go close again as Gradel and Surman exchange passes in the box before the former is tackled just as he was about to shoot.
WATFORD SUB: Change in midfield for the Hornets as Suarez takes Capoue's place.
SAVE! Howe thinks Bournemouth have scored as Arter has a pop from distance and Gomes springs to his left to tip it wide.
The Cherries then want a penalty and the ball did seem to hit Behrami on the hand, but Taylor doesn't agree.
Watford now with their first chance of the match as Deeney receives the ball in the box, but Cook gets back to make a fine last-ditch tackle.
Better the last couple of minutes from Watford after a very sluggish start to the second half. In all honesty, it still looks like both teams would take a point here.
CHANCE! Great chance for Watford to go in front as Amrabat does well down the right before crossing into the middle where Ighalo heads over. Bad effort that and he was completely unmarked.
All Watford at the moment as they win a free kick in a great position about 20 yards out. It's teed up for Deeney but he pulls his low shot wide of the mark.
The ball drops Ake's way but his speculative volley is well wide. Watford the better team the last 20 minutes, but can they find that elusive goal?
CHANCE! Clever quick free kick fomr the hosts as Watson picks out Ighalo, but the striker skies his shot. No shooting boots for him today.
BOOKING! First yellow card of the contest as Watson brings down Gradel.
Arter likes a hit from range but this time he gets it all wrong and slices it high and wide.
BOOKING! Behrami joins Watson in the book after clattering into Ritchie.
WATFORD SUB: Abdi on for Amrabat.
BOOKING! Surman the first Bournemouth player booked for a foul on Abdi.
BOURNEMOUTH SUB: Howe throws on Glenn Murray up front, taking Ritchie's place. The former Palace man scored in the reverse on the South coast.
BOOKING! Fourth yellow card in 10 minutes as Cathcart brings down Gradel.
SAVE! Almost a winner! Gradel with a smart turn in the box and he then has his shot deflected into the air, with Gomes making a fine save to tip it over.
Three minutes more at Vicarage Road. Neither team really deserves a winer in all honesty.
FULL-TIME: WATFORD 0-0 BOURNEMOUTH
No goals at Vicarage Road then and it wasn't the best of games. Ighalo went closest for the hosts on a couple of occasions, while Bournemouth had the odd moment but struggled to create much.
Watford drop a place to 10th, while Bournemouth stay 15th and move five points clear of the drop zone.
Thanks a lot for joining SM this afternoon. Click back to the homepage to read about the other results and you'll also find live updates for the evening kickoff between West Brom and Palace. See ya!
Written by
Pascal Lemesre
Pascal Lemesre
