Saturday 1st April 15:00, Watford host Sunderland at Vicarage Road Last time out Sunderland drew 0-0 at home to Burnley and Watford lost 1-0 away to Crystal Palace This weekend marks the start of a busy run of 6 games during the month of April. Time is not on Sunderland's side but there remains more than a quarter of a season still to play with key players Victor Anichebe and Lee Cattermole closing in on a return for the Black Cats. A cause for optimism ahead of a massive weekend. David Moyes: "International players are okay. John O'Shea took a fair rattle in his game but we think he's okay. Oviedo, Larsson returned fine." "Lamine Kone has trained this week. It wasn't anything too serious, Burnley just came a few days too soon." "I'm not sure Catts will be in the squad. He's missed the whole season and we're now in April, so we have to make sure he's right." "Victor Anichebe is getting closer. He's been in America's and now he's back he's started training. We need him and Catts." "We go into these games knowing we have to win them because they are running out. No half measures." "Watford are a powerful team. I think they've done fine and they have some good players in their team, so it'll be a tough game." Walter Mazzarri: "I am not too concerned about the table, At the moment we are not in too dangerous a position, but I am just disappointed we managed to throw away a point. We should have four or five more points this season." Sunderland have lost only one of their previous five Premier League meetings with Watford (W3 D1). If Watford win this match then they will equal their best tally of home wins in a season (six in 2015/16). Watford have scored a joint-PL high eight goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches this season. Lawro's Prediction: 2:1 Merson's Prediction: 0:2 Referee: Lee Probert Assistants: A Garratt, A Holmes Fourth official: R East Team Lineups: Watford Expected team Gomes, Cathcart, Prodl, Caboul, Britos, Amrabat, Cleverley, Doucore, Capoue, Niange, Deeney Subs Pantilimon, Janmaat, Holebas, Behrami, Zuniga, Success, Okaka Injured Kabasele, Watson, Pereyra and Zarate Doubtful Behrami, Deeney Form WWLDLL Leading scorer Troy Deeney 9 Sunderland Subs from Mannone, Manquillo, Djilobodji, Pienaar, Larsson, Gibson, Love, Khazri Injured Kirchhoff (Knee, Apr/May), Watmore (Knee, Oct), McNair (Knee, Aug) Doubtful Anichebe, Cattermole Form DWLLLD Leading scorer Defoe 14 Key Men: Jermain Defoe please log in to view this image Jermain Defoe has scored against 35 different PL teams but is yet to register in four appearances against Watford. Etienne Capoue please log in to view this image Capoue controls the midfield for Watford and can score goals too. Betting: Watford 4/5 Sunderland 7/2 Draw 5/2 My two pence... Another crucial fixture, another must win game for Sunderland, a defeat or even a draw will leave us with a big gap to make up and only 9 games to play. We need to stop them scoring in the first 15 minutes, the good news is that Luther Blissett is definitely not playing for Watford. I am going for an away win. 0-1 as Defoe makes it 36
Yeah - just updated that, one of the Watford lads said he had a dodgy belly. He did score for Palace last week
Our CL form commences tomorrow. 2-3. JD, Borini and Januzai to score. I think that William Hill will just give me the keys to the door when I win this bet.
Great thread - I'm with Merson -away win but a draw will do. But we need to see if Moyes team selections as positive as we need.
Would like ---------------------Pickford-------------------------- ---------Denayer--Kone--Djilobodji---------- Jones---------------------------------------Oviedo ------------------------Ndong------------------------ -----Januzaj-------Khazri------------Borini -------------------------Defoe---------------------- Attack the ****s they are bang out of form. I know dour Dave will go with the concrete boot brigade Oshea Gibson Larsson and Rodwell
For the love of god Moyes don't play Gibson. Probably the biggest waste of space I've seen for a long time and not just at Sunderland.
Sunderland: Pickford, O’Shea, Kone, Denayer, Jones, Oviedo, Gibson, Rodwell, Januzaj, Borini, Defoe. Subs: Mannone, Djilobodji, Cattermole, Larsson, Khazri, Ndong, Manquillo.
