Preview: Watford vs. Burnley

Watford will attempt to move into the automatic playoff positions when they welcome Burnley to Vicarage Road on Friday.

Back-to-back defeats in the Championship has somewhat stalled Watford's push for the top two, but they remain just two points behind second-placed Hull City with eight matches of the season left to play.

Burnley, meanwhile, have won just one of their last five matches, a run of form that has left them in 11th position in the table, 10 points from the playoffs and therefore facing another season in the second tier of English football.

The reverse match earlier in the season ended in a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor, but Burnley have struggled on the road this campaign, winning just six of their 19 matches.

Watford could name the same side that lost narrowly to Barnsley before the international break, although Nathaniel Chalobah is pushing for a starting place having appeared from the bench. However, Troy Deeney and Matej Vydra are once more expected to start in attack.

Burnley will be without Ben Mee following his dismissal against Blackburn last time out, meaning that Daniel Lafferty should come into the team. Charlie Austin is also fit and should therefore pair Martin Paterson in attack.

Recent form

Watford: WDWLL

Burnley: LWDLD

Possible lineups

Watford: Bond; Doyley, Cassetti, Nosworthy, Battocchio; Ekstrand, Yeates, Hogg, Ikechi; Deeney, Vydra

Burnley: Grant; Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Lafferty; McCann, Wallace, Kacaniklic, Bartley; Paterson, Austin

Sports Mole says: 2-1