Preview: Watford vs Sheffield Wednesday - prediction, team news, lineups

In search of a second straight victory to narrow their three-point gap to the Championship table's top six, Watford will welcome Sheffield Wednesday to Vicarage Road on Tuesday.

The hosts returned to winning ways at the weekend, while the visitors saw a trip to Blackburn Rovers abandoned mid-game.

Match preview

Watford head back into action at Vicarage Road on Tuesday aiming to break into the Championship's top half and narrow their gap to the top six.

The Hornets' success has come at home so far this season, having 27 points in total from their 19 games including 21 from 10 matches at Vicarage Road - a tally only topped by runaway leaders Coventry City.

That includes an unbeaten home run under returning manager Javi Gracia, who took back the reins in mid-October and has overseen four wins and three defeats in 10 matches at the helm, most recently hosting strugglers Norwich City on Saturday after a draw and a defeat in their prior outings.

Despite falling behind twice, Gracia's men would return to winning ways, as Luca Kjerrumgaard twice equalised before Tom Ince put them ahead for the first time and sealed all three points 12 minutes from time.

Now sitting 13th but only trailing 11th-placed Southampton on goal difference, three sides by one point and sixth-placed Stoke City by three, Watford can quickly improve their standing further with another home win on Tuesday.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head south in search of a first win since September.

After a summer of financial issues and embargoes, Sheffield Wednesday have endured an expectedly tough campaign thus far with a young and thin squad, currently sitting bottom of the Championship on -10 points having earned eight and been served with deductions totalling 18.

The first 12 of those came after the Owls entered administration last month, and despite the optimism around the exit of the former ownership and pending new owners, Henrik Pedersen's side have been unable to reverse their fortunes on the pitch, losing their last four outings.

After falling to Southampton, Sheffield United and Millwall, the South Yorkshire side hosted Preston and lost 3-2 despite Charlie McNeill's brace, before visiting Blackburn Rovers on Saturday and seeing the match abandoned for a waterlogged pitch on the hour mark, with the hosts leading 1-0 at the time through Yuki Ohashi.

While awaiting the details of the expected replay of that match, Sheffield Wednesday head to Watford with a 23-point gap to 23rd spot and 28 point gap to safety and will at least hope to raise spirits with a positive result on the road.

Watford Championship form:

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Sheffield Wednesday Championship form:

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Team News

Watford continue to contend with several injury issues, with first-choice goalkeeper Egil Selvik remaining sidelined alongside Rocco Vata, Kwadwo Baah, Jack Grieves and Caleb Wiley.

Key midfielder Giorgi Chakvetadze was also forced off in the first half of Saturday's win over Norwich - his first start of the season after a long injury layoff, meaning Tom Ince should come in from the start after his winning goal.

Luca Kjerrumgaard will lead the line with confidence, having moved onto six league goals for the season with his brace at the weekend, while Imran Louza is the Hornet's star man in midfield having notched up six goals and four assists in 16 league matches so far this term.

Sheffield Wednesday have also been badly hit by injuries this season, with Di'Shon Bernard, Ernie Weaver, Nathaniel Chalobah, Olaf Kobacki and George Brown still out ahead of Tuesday's trip.

Goalkeeper Pierce Charles was fit to return between the sticks for the first time since mid-August on Saturday, though, after his layoff, while Max Lowe and Dominic Iorfa may both return to a back three.

That would allow Yan Valery to rejoin Barry Bannan and Svante Ingelsson in midfield, while Charlie McNeill will continue in attack after his brace in the recent 3-2 defeat to Preston.

Watford possible starting lineup:

Baxter; Ngakia, Pollock, Alleyne, Bola; Ince, Louza, Kayembe, Maamma; Kjerrumgaard, Doumbia

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

Charles; Iorfa, Cooper, M Lowe; Fusire, Valery, Bannan, Ingelsson, Amass; J Lowe, McNeill

We say: Watford 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday

Watford's home record, alongside Sheffield Wednesday's struggles with quality and depth in their young squad, leads us to anticipate a comfortable home victory on Tuesday.

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