Preview: West Bromwich Albion vs Watford - prediction, team news, lineups

West Bromwich Albion play host to Watford looking to secure another potentially-pivotal victory in the race to avoid relegation.

At a time when the Baggies sit in 20th position in the Championship table, the Hornets have recently dropped down to 13th place in the standings.

Match preview

While West Brom have the threat of a points deduction hanging over them, they can ill-afford to take their foot off the gas in their battle for Championship survival.

However, James Morrison's run of three wins and five draws in caretaker charge has moved the Baggies five points clear of the relegation zone with three matches remaining.

On the pitch at least, West Brom fans will be encouraged by their performances, their latest success coming by a 2-0 scoreline at Preston North End on Saturday.

Not only have West Brom now kept three away clean sheets in succession, they have recorded five shutouts in six Championship fixtures.

Nevertheless, West Brom have only recorded one win from their last five games at The Hawthorns, the other four fixtures ending in draws.

Meanwhile, Watford's campaign appears set to end in a damp squib with a five-match winless streak leaving the Hornets in the bottom half of the standings.

Their only draws during that time came at home to struggling Leicester City and Charlton Athletic, while they now recorded back-to-back 2-0 defeats to Oxford United and Sheffield United respectively.

With just three wins and 13 points from 12 matches, Ed Still knows that he is already fighting to keep his job at Vicarage Road.

Watford still remain with just four wins from 21 away encounters in this season's Championship, albeit only conceding 30 goals during those fixtures.

A 2-1 triumph at Bristol City on February 27 was the last time that they prevailed on away territory.

West Bromwich Albion Championship form:

W W D D D W

Watford Championship form:

W D L D L L

Team News

Barring any fresh injury issues, Morrison may not make any changes to his West Brom XI.

However, Daryl Dike, who scored as a substitute at Deepdale, could replace either Aune Heggebo or Josh Maja in attack.

Despite their recent returns to the squad, Chris Mepham and Karlan Grant are likely to remain on the substitutes' bench.

Still will inevitably tinker with his Watford starting lineup, with Marc Bola, Giorgi Chakvetadze and Luca Kjerrumgaard all in contention for recalls.

Jeremy Ngakia is also an alternative at right-back after his return to the squad at the weekend, but Stephen Mfuni and Rocco Vata are expected to miss out.

West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:

O'Leary; Imray, Phillips, Campbell, Styles; Molumby, Diakite, Mowatt, Price; Heggebo, Maja

Watford possible starting lineup:

Selvik; Petris, Pollock, Goglichidze, Bola; Irankunda, Mendy, Louza, Chakvetadze; Kayembe, Kjerrumgaard

We say: West Bromwich Albion 2-1 Watford

Although this game is of high stakes to West Brom, we cannot ignore that it is a fixture between teams in contrasting form. With West Brom showing supreme battling qualities of late, we are backing a hard-fought home victory.

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