One side is club with famous tradition, other is just ordinary squad without much trophies, one is fighting for Champions League place next season, while other is trying to avoid relegation. Welcome to Manchester United - Watford game preview.
Manchester United
Red devils are on 8th place with 10-8-8 and 38 goals scored and 29 conceded. United is playing hot-cold this season. It looks like they haven't big motivation when playing against not so famous clubs. How else you can explain their defeat against miserable Burnley at home who suffered 5 goals from disbanded squad like Tottenham ? They robbed Chelsea last week. Harry Maguire did Son's thing and VAR official who was accidentally from Manchester said it was not enough for straight red card ?! There were some disallowed goals for Chelsea too... In following Europa League game United stole draw from Club Brugge. I said stole because chance which lad from Brugge missed near the end was 100% sitter. Red devils are not playing anything special at the moment.
Watford
Nigel Pearson's boys had good row of games and it looked like they are into "Great Escape" from bottom of the table. However few unlucky defeats caused by goals conceded in 90th minute against Aston Villa and Everton placed them in 19th place inside boiling relegation zone. They have 5-9-12 with 24 goals scored and 40 conceded so far. Fortunately for them there are a lot of candidates to book ticket for hell this season like West Ham, Aston Villa, Bourenmouth which all are reachable just point or few away. What is not good for them is their tough schedule. They play Manchester away, Liverpool at home, Crystal palace away and Leicester at home. They also have Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal to play in rest of the season. I dare to say they play nice football, create chances, score goals, but it looks like concentration is not on high level near the end. For them It's not problem how to make problems to other side, but how to keep the lead.
Current Form
When we look at form table (last 6 games only) Manchester United is 11th with 2-1-3 and 6 goals scored and conceded. Watford is 9th with 2-2-2 and 9 goals scored and 7 conceded. Manchester United last 6 Premier League games ended like this:
01.01. Arsenal - Manchester United 2:0 (2:0)
11.01. Manchester United - Nowrich 4:0 (1:0)
19.01. Liverpool - Manchester United 2:0 (1:0)
01.02. Manchester United - Burnley 0:2 (0:1) !!
17.02. Manchester United - Wolverhampton 0:0
23.02. Chelsea - Manchester United 0:2 (0:1)
Watford last 6 Premier League games were:
01.01. Watford - Wolverhampton 2:1 (2:0)
12.01. Bournmouth - Watford 0:3 (0:1)
18.01. Watford - Tottenham 0:0 (Gazaniga saved penalty deep in second half)
21.01. Aston Villa - Watford 2:1 (0:1)
01.02. Watford - Everton 2:3 (2:2)
08.02. Brighton - Watford 1:1 (0:1)
Head to head
Manchester United had big advantage here, Watford forgot when they took point from Old Trafford last time. Manchester United won every game against Watford since 2000 (5-0-0 10:1).
22.12.2019. Watford - Manchester United 2:0
30.03.2019 Manchester United - Watford 2:1
15.09.2018. Watford - Manchester United 1:2
13.05.2018 Manchester United - Watford 1:0
28.11.2017 Watford - Manchester United 2:4
11.02.2017 Manchester United - Watford 2:0
18.09.2016 Watford - Manchester United 3:1
02.03.2016 Manchester United - Watford 1:0
Sidelined players
United has some problems with squad. Injured players are: L. Grant, S. McTominay, T. Fosu-Mensah, A. Tuanzebe, P. Pogba (sole injury :) ) and M. Rashford. Last injury of M. Rashford is big blow for them.
Watford has just two injured players: A. Peñaranda and D. Janmaat.
Conclusion
There is a theory saying "Track Barcelona entire season and when odd on them is the smallest play for everything you have against them". Writer of this theory mysteriously disappeared soon after publishing his book how to beat bookies. Head to head gives big advantage to United, but tradition and numbers are not playing. It looks like United have big motive here, but I am not so sure it's bigger than avoiding relegation. Experience teach me that struggling to avoid relegation is bigger motive than fighting for European place. Injury list and fatigue from European game gives advantage to Watford. On the top of that I believe Watford has better manager than Manchester United. He looks like someone you don't want to see in dressing room after you fail to fill out your duties on the field. I think bookies heavily underestimated Watford in this match. Odds of 4 for X or 6 for 2 are way to high.
I am not sure if underdogs from Manchester will be able to take point or will they suffer new pathetic loss like against Burnley. My mind is telling me that Watford is going to take something out of this game. I'll take small position here on generous odd of 2.30 for X2 for 50 SCR to avoid to big excitement. You can bet against me here on betscorum: https://betscorum.com/en-us/game/49819
I say Manchester United - Watford 1:2, T. Deany scores first.
Feel free to tell me your opinion about this game in comments.