Preview:Watford vs Middlesbrough - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to strengthen their position in the top two of the Championship table, Middlesbrough will travel to Vicarage Road to meet Watford on Saturday.

A draw last weekend cut the visitors' lead over third place to two points, while their hosts dropped to 14th spot following an away defeat.

Match preview

Watford head into the weekend at Vicarage Road aiming to bounce back to winning ways and climb into the top half of the Championship table.

Following the summer appointment of Paulo Pezzolano, they headed into the October international break on 12 points from nine games before turning to returning boss Javi Gracia, who last took charge at Vicarage Road in the 2019-20 Premier League campaign.

He is yet to inspire a notable improvement with the Hornets, though, with his second tenure beginning in an away defeat to Sheffield United on their return from the break.

Then on the back of a 2-1 home triumph over West Bromwich Albion, they visited leaders Coventry City last Saturday and came away empty-handed, having trailed 3-0 in the first half and pulled one back 21 minutes from time through Imran Louza.

Now sitting 14th in England's second tier, but only one point outside the top half and four outside the playoff places, Watford will be desperate to make it two wins from two home league matches under Gracia on Saturday and climb towards the right end of the division.

They face another tough test, though, with the other side in the Championship's top two stood in their way.

After replacing Michael Carrick with Rob Edwards over the summer, on the back of a 10th-placed finish last time around, Middlesbrough have enjoyed a strong start, putting themselves second having earned 25 points from 12 matches.

Their only league defeat thus far came in the final game before the October break, and Boro bounced back in style on their return, firstly hosting Ipswich Town and winning 2-1 thanks to a Cedric Kipre own goal and Morgan Whittaker's finish.

Whittaker then netted the only goal in a trip to basement side Sheffield Wednesday, before Edwards's men most recently hosted Wrexham last weekend and were only able to share the points, as Hayden Hackney levelled the game at a goal apiece 10 minutes from time after Josh Windass's early opener for the visitors.

Now trailing league leaders Coventry City by three points and only leading second-placed Millwall by two, Middlesbrough will hope to take another unbeaten streak to four games on Saturday and strengthen their top-two status with a return to winning ways.

Watford Championship form:

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Middlesbrough Championship form:

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Team News

Watford are unable to call on defender James Abankwah, who was sent off in last week's defeat to Coventry City, while Caleb Wiley and key man Giorgi Chakvetadze will remain confined to the treatment room.

Kwadwo Baah is a fresh injury concern after Saturday's game and may also miss out, as could Moussa Sissoko, who made way on the stroke of half time.

In Abankwah's absence, Mattie Pollock will join Kevin Keben and Marc Bola at the back, while Nestory Irankunda, Tom Ince and Vivaldo Semedo will compete with Rocco Vata and Mamadou Doumbia for attacking spots.

Rob Edwards is unlikely to make many changes from the strong Middlesbrough starting XI deployed last weekend, with George Edmundson and Darragh Lenihan remaining sidelined.

Alan Browne will push to return to the midfield from the outset, but key men Hayden Hackney and Aidan Morris are bound to keep their places, while Alfie Jones and Dael Fry form a strong centre-back pairing.

Tommy Conway may return to the attacking setup from the outset, after Morgan Whittaker, Sverre Nypan and Delano Burgzorg supported front man Kaly Sene against Wrexham.

Watford possible starting lineup:

Selvik; Pollock, Keben, Bola; Ngakia, Kayembe, Kyprianou, Morris; Louza; Vata, Irankunda

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Brynn; Brittain, Fry, Jones, Targett; Hackney, Morris; Whittaker, Browne, Sene; Conway

We say: Watford 1-2 Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough were left disappointed with a home draw last weekend, despite coming from behind, but we back them to rebound on Saturday and show their quality against a Watford side who are yet to find any consistency this season.

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