Prediction: Manchester United vs Watford



Verdict: Both teams to score

Best Odds: 5/4

Bookmaker: William Hill

Having ended a three-match winless run by defeating holders Leicester City at King Power Stadium, Manchester United will be aiming for more of the same when they take on in-form Watford side. The Hornets are back in the top half of the standings after defeating Burnley and they arrive at Old Trafford searching for third successive triumph.

Manchester United

This season is proving a genuine rollercoaster ride for Manchester United, who have shown massive improvement on the slow start to the season, but are still unable to break into the top 4. The recent run of three straight draws against Liverpool, Stoke City and Hull City certainly did not aid their cause, but the most important thing is that Man Utd returned to winning ways in style, hammering sorry Leicester City at their King Power. Summer recruit Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored another amazing solo goal to prove he has quickly developed into a key player for the Red Devils, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Juan Mata also got on the scoresheet. The impressive triumph helped Jose Mourinho’s charges close the gap behind top 4 rivals Arsenal and Liverpool to just two and one points respectively, meaning the Watford game will serve as another opportunity for the Old Trafford outfit to place extra pressure on their rivals for Champions League positions. But, while Man Utd are unbeaten in last ten Premier League fixtures at home, no fewer than six of those matches ended winless.

Team News

Defenders Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo are expected to miss the Watford game, but Wayne Rooney should return after recovering from illness.



Watford

Watford have been defying the odds ever since they returned to the Premier League and the Hornets look set for another top table finish. New manager Walter Mazzarri managed to continue where Quique Sanchez Flores had left off, making sure his side remained tough nut to crack even for England’s top sides. Watford struggled to cope with the busy schedule at the turn of the year, as they crashed out of the FA Cup and embarked on a seven-match winless streak in the Premier League, but then found a perfect way to end the barren run. The Hornets impressed to defeat top 4 hopefuls Arsenal at the Emirates, before they also defeated Burnley at home to climb back to the top half of the standings. As far as the playing squad is concerned, there were not too many changes in January, although Watford did see Odion Ighalo and Adlene Guedioura leave, while M’Baye Niang and Mauro Zarate joined. The former has already managed to leave quite an impression on the manager and the club board, and together with Deeney and Zarate, he could prove a handful for Man Utd defenders.

Team News

Roberto Pereyra, Costel Pantilimon, Nordin Amrabat and Christian Kabasele are all expected to miss the trip to Manchester through injury.

Key Factors to Consider

• Watford recorded a 3-1 win over Man Utd last time out
• The Red Devils had won their eight previous meetings
• Last nine meetings between the two sides produced 31 goals
• Man Utd recorded six draws in last ten home games in EPL (W4)
• Watford recorded back to back 2-1 wins over Arsenal and Burnley

Conclusion

Manchester United haven’t exactly impressed at their Old Trafford at late and we believe that red-hot Watford will make the life difficult for their more illustrious opponents. Another entertaining encounter between these two sides seems on the cards, so we recommend betting on both teams to score.

Verdict: Both teams to score

Best Odds: 5/4

Bookmaker: William Hill