Watford take on the visitors Burnley in the round 43 match of English Championship. The match will be played on Friday, April 18th at Vicarage Road (Watford).
Watford continue to disappoint their supporters. The Hornets were highly rated once — though mostly back in the Elton John ownership era. Under the Pozzo family, they frequently made it back to the Premier League, but were better known for their managerial merry-go-round and recurring relegations. Since their latest drop, however, the club seems to have become stuck in the Championship. Last season, they finished 15th — level on 56 points with the team in 18th. While there’s been a slight improvement this campaign, it’s nowhere near enough to push for a top-six spot or a place in the promotion play-offs. On the contrary, their form has worsened in the spring, with defeats piling up. They lost again in the last round, falling 1-2 to West Bromwich Albion. That result extended a winless run to five games. Confidence is clearly lacking in the squad, and Watford’s home form has been particularly poor.
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Burnley, who had a solid Premier League run under Sean Dyche, finally lost their place in 2023. Vincent Kompany’s appointment initially looked inspired, as he cruised to the Championship title in 2023/2024. But his system fell flat in the Premier League, and while the board kept faith during the relegation campaign, he left in the summer for Bayern Munich. Scott Parker, his replacement, has adopted a more pragmatic approach — but it’s been effective. With fewer than a dozen goals conceded in over forty matches, Burnley boast the best defence in the league. Promotion is firmly in their sights, although the battle remains tight at the top. Recently, however, slip-ups from rivals like Sheffield United have allowed Burnley and Leeds to pull away slightly. Burnley are unbeaten in their last six games, winning four of them. They’ve also shown impressive composure in tricky away fixtures — including a 2-1 win over Watford earlier this season.
Two seasons ago in the Championship, Watford took 4 points out of 6 against Burnley — but it was the Clarets who earned promotion. Since returning from the Premier League, Burnley have also managed to beat the Hornets on the road. The visitors can’t afford any slip-ups — and their opponent looks vulnerable. Back Scott Parker’s side to get the job done.
Prediction for the match: Burnley to win.
