Watford

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Wrexham are in slightly unfamiliar territory going into this game against Watford on Saturday (15:00 GMT) as their nine-game unbeaten run in the Championship was ended by Hull City earlier in the week.

Defeat by the Tigers saw the Red Dragons slip to 14th in the Championship table, although they are just four points adrift of the play-off places.

Phil Parkinson's side are just a point behind Watford and will know how significant picking up points in this game will be in the jostle to get closer to the play-off positions.

Watford sit 12th in the table after snatching a late leveller against Sheffield Wednesday in their last league outing.

A win for the Hornets are three points adrift the top six in a congested tussle at that end of the table.

• Wrexham and Watford have not met in any competition since an April 1998 league clash won 1-0 by the Hornets with a goal from Jason Lee.

• In the second tier in six meetings between Wrexham and Watford, the Hornets won five and lost one between 1979-80 and 1981-82.

• Wrexham have won four of their last five home league matches (D1) and are unbeaten in seven (W4 D3) since a 3-1 defeat to QPR in September.

• Watford have won just one of their last 15 away league games (D4 L10), beating Derby 3-2 in November, while they've kept just three clean sheets in their last 34 on the road.

• This will be Phil Parkinson's first league game against Watford since March 2009 when he was Charlton manager - he lost 3-2 at the Valley against a Hornets side managed by Brendan Rodgers.

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Watford hope goalkeeper Egil Selvik could be fit to return to the squad for Saturday's game against Wrexham.

The Norwegian has not played since 7 November because of a shoulder problem, with Nathan Baxter making five appearances since then.

"We are working more with Egil. We'll see if it's possible for him to be ready for the next game. He'll be ready soon," head coach Javi Gracia told the club website.

Forwards Kwadwo Baah and Rocco Vata remain sidelined by hamstring injuries - with Baah closer to a first-team comeback.

"The medical staff are doing a great job and making a big effort every single day to help them, so they can recover as soon as possible. They need more time, but we are happy," Gracia added.

Watford last played Wrexham in April 1998 when Jason Lee scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Vicarage Road.

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Watford forward Amin Nabizada has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Championship club.

The 18-year-old made his senior debut as a late substitute in their 4-1 FA Cup defeat by Fulham in January.

He was sent on for the first time in the league in the 72nd minute against Leeds United the following month.

The England Under-18 international has yet to make a first team appearance this term but he said: "When I've talked to the club they've spoken really highly of me, and now I want to pay back that trust and produce on the pitch. That's the most important thing."

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Javi Gracia replaced young forward Othmane Maamma at half-time against Sheffield Wednesday to avoid the possibility of him being sent off, the Watford head coach revealed.

The 20-year-old Moroccan, making only fifth league start for the club, was shown a yellow card in the 11th minute at Hillsborough for a foul on Harry Amass.

But he was afterwards one of Watford's main threats in attack, forcing a good save from the Wednesday keeper and providing an assist for Imran Louza to shoot following a weaving run.

"Before half-time, the other bench was pressing the referee to give the second yellow card," Gracia told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"I preferred to protect the team, to keep 11 players on the pitch, because he was in high risk. In the first half, he was a very good player for us."

Vivaldo Semedo salvaged a 1-1 draw for The Hornets at Hillsborough after Louza had earlier hit the woodwork with a penalty and Edo Kayembe was adjudged to have encroached into the area before turning the rebound home.

The pair have alternated spot-kick duties with Kayembe netting a penalty against Derby County last month in a 3-2 win.

"We have two takers and we trust both to take the penalties," Gracia added.

Watford, who are 11th in the Championship, will be away to Wrexham on Saturday.

Javier Gracia may have seen his unbeaten home run since returning to the Watford dugout saved thanks to a last-minute Vivaldo Semedo equaliser against Sheffield Wednesday, but the Hornets boss was still unhappy with his side's performance.

The Spaniard told BBC Three Counties Radio: "It is a point for us, but it is not enough. We showed good character to compete and fight until the end, but today I am disappointed.

"It is the same situation that we have had in recent games, when we concede from the first shot we give away in the game and if you keep doing that in games it is difficult to win.

"We had good chances, many clear chances but it is something we are not doing so well in the last few games. When you are doing that it is not easy to win.

"We have the youngest squad in the championship, but we have to learn with these games, and these experiences. We have to compete better if we want to be in a better position at the end of the season."

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The FA Cup third round draw was made on Monday evening, with all 24 Championship clubs entering at this stage of the competition.

Ties will take place between Thursday, 8 January and Monday, 12 January.

These are the ties involving Championship clubs:

• Cambridge United v Birmingham City

• Hull City v Blackburn Rovers

• Bristol City v Watford

• Charlton Athletic v Chelsea

• Stoke City v Coventry

• Derby County v Leeds United

• Ipswich Town v Blackpool

• Cheltenham Town v Leicester City

• Fulham v Middlesbrough

• Burnley v Millwall

• Norwich City v Walsall

• MK Dons v Oxford United

• Portsmouth v Arsenal

• Preston North End v Wigan Athletic

• West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers

• Sheffield United v Mansfield Town

• Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford

• Doncaster Rovers v Southampton

• Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion

• Wrexham v Nottingham Forest

You can see the full draw here.

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Watford will seek to improve the Championship's second best home record when they welcome basement-boys Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

The Hornets made it 18 points claimed from losing positions as they came from behind to beat Norwich at Vicarage Road on Saturday to go 13th, just three points below the top-six.

They have won 21 points from 10 home games, second only to leaders Coventry (23).

Rock-bottom Wednesday are effectively 29 points adrift of safety and have lost four straight and 12 of 18 overall, while their game at Blackburn on Saturday was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch at Ewood Park just before the hour.

The Owls' only win of the campaign did however come on the road at Portsmouth in September.

• Watford are unbeaten in their past nine league games against Sheffield Wednesday (W5 D4), since a 1-0 home loss in December 2013.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won just one of their past 12 away league games against Watford (D3 L8), beating them 1-0 in December 2013 thanks to a Connor Wickham strike.

• Watford have won exactly half of their 48 league games against Sheffield Wednesday (W24 D11 L13). Among sides they've faced at least 40 times in the Football League, only against Bristol Rovers do they have a higher win rate (54% - 45/84).

• Watford lost six of their 10 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Championship games from the start of last season until February (W2 D2), but are since unbeaten in six (W3 D3).

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost just one of their past eight midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) away league games (W3 D4), though it was two weeks ago against Millwall (0-1).

Christian Fuller
Watford fan writer

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The one thing that all supporters know by now is that Watford never do anything the easy way.

It is becoming a familiar tale that sees the Hornets concede – usually early – and yet find a way to come away with points.

And Watford's 3-2 win against Norwich City was no different.

The victory made it 18 points gained from losing positions so far this season – and while the rollercoaster of emotions is certainly fun when it ends positively, it is a trend that cannot continue if we are to position ourselves as serious play-off contenders.

There are few things that are certain in football but one that is becoming all too familiar is the inevitable Josh Sargent goal for the Canaries when they face Watford.

But once we got that out the way – and the less said about the visitors' second the better – there were positives to take.

While the early stages of the season were dominated by praise for Imran Louza, supporters are finally able to applaud the work of others.

The return of Giorgi Chakvetadze, a headed double from the giant Luca Kjerrumgaard and Othmane Maamma showcasing his youthful, fearless talent are all to be celebrated.

And a word on Jeremy Ngakia. He has had his critics – often rightly so – but the full-back has improved defensively this season and more than stepped up in the attacking third.

Putting together a string of positive results has raised the spirits of the fan base and raised the side up the Championship table.

While we consistently seem to find ourselves floating around the mid-table mark, the points gap to the play-offs is becoming ever smaller.

We are only three points away from a top-six slot, with a midweek fixture against Sheffield Wednesday to come – something that on paper should hopefully see us climb even higher.

But one thing that is for certain after the weekend's action is that there really is only one team in yellow.

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Watford manager Javi Gracia was unhappy with his side's overall performance despite the 3-2 win over Norwich.

The Hornets showing their fighting spirit again to come back twice from a goal down and clinch the three points through Tom Ince's late strike but Gracia was unimpressed.

"In the first half they were better than us. They controlled the game. The best thing for us was the reaction of the team in the second half," he said.

"I'm not so happy today because it's not the way we want to play. We want to play in a constant way, not only in the second 45 minutes. It's something we need to improve in the next games.

"In the first half we were playing without moving the ball quickly and then it's easy for opponents.

"It's hard to come back again but we did it. I'm happy for the result but maybe for other games we didn't win I was happier than today.

"We need to find a better balance to be more competitive."

Fresh from their first home win of the season, Norwich City are looking for back-to-back league victories for the first time since February as they head to Vicarage Road (12:30 GMT).

Watford are unbeaten in their past six league games at home.

• Watford lost this exact fixture 1-0 in February last season, last losing consecutive home league games against Norwich in November 1995.

• None of the past 16 league games between Watford (W9) and Norwich (W7) have been drawn, with the Canaries winning each of the past three.

• Watford have lost just one of their past 10 home league games (W5 D4) and are unbeaten in six since a 1-0 loss against Blackburn in September (W4 D2).

• After a 13-game winless run in the Championship, Norwich beat QPR 3-1 last time out. They last won consecutive league games in January/February last season, the second of which came against Watford.

• Watford have won more points from losing positions than any other side in the Championship this season (15).

Christian Fuller
Watford fan writer

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

While there have been plenty of positives since Javi Gracia's return, Watford's 2-1 away loss to Birmingham City felt somewhat deflating.

Three wins, three draws and three defeats is form that most Hornets fans will accept since his homecoming, but our position in a compact league table has slumped in recent weeks.

So, I am going to ignore all that and take a trip down memory lane.

Joao Pedro, Richarlison and Danny Welbeck. What do these players have in common?

They are all at the upper end of the Premier League top-scorers list so far this season – the top 10 to be exact.

And if you extend it slightly further, then you can add Ismaila Sarr to the conversation.

And what else do they have in common? They have all played for Watford.

While it would be disingenuous to suggest that Watford made them what they are today – all four having played for multiple clubs since leaving the Hornets – but for the likes of Pedro and Richarlison, I think most supporters would like to think their time at Vicarage Road played a part in their career to date.

Despite having only scored three goals for Watford, Welbeck sits third in the top flight's top-scorer list this season – and may even have an outside chance of an England call-up for the World Cup, according to some.

Meanwhile, Pedro and Richarlison, who netted a combined 29 times for the Hornets, will both fancy their chances of featuring for Brazil at the competition next summer.

Just to add to the mix, even fellow former Watford striker Keinan Davis is joining in on the goalscoring fun for our old friends Udinese, with only six players having scored more than him in Serie A this season.

For a club like Watford, selling players at the right time and for the right fee – or simply parting ways – is essential.

So, while we would love to say, 'oh what could have been', let's take it as an opportunity to celebrate what our former players have become.

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Watford midfielder Edo Kayembe is set to make his debut at a major international tournament after being named in the DR Congo squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts in Morocco later this month.

The 27-year-old was also selected for the last Afcon in January/February 2024 but missed the whole tournament with an injury.

Kayembe, who has made 35 international appearances, is one of five English-based players named in head coach Sebastien Desabre's 26-man squad but the only one from outside the Premier League.

DR Congo open their Afcon campaign against Benin on 23 December before facing Senegal and Botswana in the group stage.

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Watford manager Javi Gracia admits his side are "paying for mistakes" after they were beaten 2-1 at Birmingham City.

Othmane Maamma halved the deficit for the Hornets in the second half after Paik Seung-ho and Demarai Gray put the Blues in front at half time.

Gracia was left frustrated by errors costing the Hornets an "equal" game.

"We knew before coming today would be a tough game," he told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"In my opinion, it was equal. In the first half, they dominated more than us but we both had good chances.

"We didn't take the chances we had, they did with two great goals. After that, in the second half we played better and had more chances, playing in the opposition half. When you dominate, you have to score and we didn't do it.

"The other team is a good team, there is nothing to say. In terms of chances and possession, it was equal but we are paying for our mistakes."

Gracia says he and his staff will work hard to bounce back.

"We have good players and we are going to insist on our work; I trust my players. We need to be more clinical."

Watford will look to extend their undefeated run to a sixth league game as they make the trip to Birmingham City on Monday (20:00 GMT).

The Hornets have only lost two games since boss Javi Gracia took charge in October (W3 D3), placing them three points short of the top six.

Blues, however, are also chasing a spot in the top six and have won five of their eight home games so far this season (D2 L1).

• Birmingham City have lost 10 of their previous 12 league games against Watford (W1 D1), and failed to win any of the last seven (D1 L6).

• Watford have scored on each of their last six league visits to Birmingham City (W4 D1 L1), winning there most recently in March 2024 (1-0).

• Only Coventry City (20) and Watford (18) have won more points at home in the Championship this season than Birmingham (17), winning each of their last three in a row.

• Watford are unbeaten in their last five league games (W2 D3); they last avoided defeat in six successive matches between November/December 2024.

• Only Imran Louza (10) has been involved in more goals for Watford in the Championship this season than Jeremy Ngakia (5 – 2 goals, 3 assists), with his three assists coming in his last five appearances

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Watford boss Javi Gracia was delighted to see playmaker Giorgi Chakvetadze back on the pitch in Tuesday's draw with Preston.

The Georgia international had not made an appearance for seven months because of a foot problem.

But he was sent on as a substitute in the 74th minute at Vicarage Road - the first chance Gracia has had to watch him in competitive action since returning to the club as head coach.

"When I put Giorgi on the (team) list, I knew in this moment he can only help us 15, maybe 20 minutes, no more," the Spaniard told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"He is not ready to play more, he needs time after coming from a long period out, he needs patience and work, the way he's doing.

"Everyone knows he has high quality and I am really happy for him."

Chakvetadze afterwards admitted he was "so excited" to be back.

"It was really tough and difficult mentally, but I knew it was a long injury and I'm happy to be back," he told the club website.

Watford do not play again until Monday when they will be away to Birmingham City.

Watford boss Javi Gracia says his players should be "disappointed" with their 1-1 draw against Preston North End on Tuesday.

The Hornets came back from behind to claim a point thanks to Mamadou Doumbia's equaliser just before half-time.

However, Gracia feels his side should have taken the win.

"I think all of us today, we have to be disappointed because we wanted the three points after our last game winning away [at Derby]. All the players made a great effort to get the win but in the first half we didn't start well," the Spaniard told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"We had a clear chance but the other team was better situated and we didn't adjust our movements to be aggressive and recover the ball in the opposition's half. It was tough for us to manage this first half.

"In the second half it was different and we had more control and more chances and more possession. It was the moment when we had the real chance to win the game.

"But in these moments when you have the momentum to win you have to do it. It is difficult to come back and score two goals. We had more chances than Preston in the most part but we have to be more clinical."

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Watford forward Kwadwo Baah will be out of action until "early in the new year" after suffering a hamstring injury during the 3-2 win at Derby County on Saturday.

Baah went off after 35 minutes at Pride Park and a club statement said he had "damaged his left hamstring, although the problem is not as bad as first feared".

Goalkeeper Egil Selvik, meanwhile, will be out for "at least the next few weeks" because of a shoulder problem.

The Norwegian was ruled out of Tuesday's home game against Preston and has not played since the 1-1 draw with Bristol City on 7 November.

Midfielder playmaker Giorgi Chakvetadze, though, was passed fit for a place on the bench against North End, having been unable to play any part so far this season because of a foot injury.

Such is the volatile nature of the Championship 11th-placed Watford would overtake Preston, who are fifth, with a win on Tuesday night.

That may have seemed an unlikely scenario when Watford were 2-0 down at Derby on Saturday before scoring twice in the final five minutes to complete a 3-2 comeback win.

Preston are looking to avoid going three league games without a win for the first time this season.

• Watford lost this exact fixture 2-1 last season, last losing consecutive home league games against Preston in August 2005.

• Preston did the league double over Watford last season, having won just two of their previous 13 against the Hornets beforehand (D6 L5).

• Having lost their first four home league games in 2025, Watford have since lost three of their last 15 at Vicarage Road (W8 D4), winning four of their last five (D1).

• When they've not kept a clean sheet, Preston have won just one of their last 31 away league games (D9 L21), though that was a 2-1 victory at Watford in January last season.

• Watford's Imran Louza has been involved in seven goals in his last seven home league games (3 goals, 4 assists), as many as he had in his previous 34 appearances at Vicarage Road.

Watford midfielder Edo Kayembe admitted he had surprised himself with a rare headed goal which sealed a 3-2 win against Derby County at Pride Park.

The DR Congo international also converted a penalty as the Hornets came from 2-0 down to extend their unbeaten run to four games.

"It was a good goal because it was my first time to score with a header," Kayembe told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"It was a good feeling. Zigor (Aranalde), our assistant head coach, told me in training to go to attack this area. It was a good delivery from Imran (Louza) and I'm just happy to score and change the game."

Team-mate Louza scored from the spot during last month's game against Coventry but was willing to step aside to allow Kayembe to put Watford back on level terms with just five minutes to go.

"Normally he takes them if I'm not on the pitch. But we decided before the game that if we had a penalty I was going to take it and if I score and we had another one, I was going to take that as well," Kayembe said.

Watford are 11th in the Championship going into Tuesday's home fixture against Preston North End.

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Christian Fuller
Watford fan writer

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Now that is what football is all about.

Football is about moments, and there is nothing much sweeter in the beautiful game than completing a 2-0 turnaround in a matter of minutes.

It was Edo Kayembe of all players who led the charge. Two late goals in the space of three minutes from the Congolese midfielder sealed Watford's first victory away from home in a long, long time.

The game, even perhaps the whole season, would have had a completely different feel to it had we not completed the comeback to win 3-2 against Derby County.

We risked dropping unnervingly close to the relegation zone with what seemed like another inevitable away defeat. And yet instead, the victory puts the Hornets just two points outside the play-offs, with a chance to leapfrog Preston on Tuesday.

While there is no denying there remains plenty of work for Javi Gracia to do with the largely youthful squad to reach its full potential, the win highlighted positives to take as we enter a festive period where fixtures come thick and fast.

Gracia's faith in youth, including a first start for newly crowned CAF Young Player of the Year, Othmane Maamma, gives hope the manager may be in the dugout longer than most before him.

While the absence of goalkeeper Egil Selvik is a blow to the team, it is hard to criticise Nathan Baxter's performance between the sticks.

The goalkeeper swap was one of five changes made for the match, but the team spirit was definitely still on display.

It has been some time since the travelling Hornets supporters were treated to an away win, let alone one in that fashion, but that is what makes it all worth it in the end.