Watford

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Omer Riza's 'permanent' reign as Cardiff boss begins here, with the Bluebirds now on a five-match winless streak and casting nervous glances at the relegation zone just two points below them.

Riza, whose appointment until the end of the season was confirmed on Thursday, guided Cardiff to four wins from six games after taking temporary charge in the wake of Erol Bulut's dismissal - and they need to regain that kind of form to avoid sinking into the bottom three.

Opponents Watford have climbed to sixth place with a run of four wins from seven games - but their only defeat during that sequence was sustained in South Wales, a 1-0 reverse to Swansea last month.

● Cardiff City are unbeaten across their last three league games against Watford (W2 D1), their longest such streak since a run of six matches between 2011 and 2014.

● Watford are unbeaten across their last five away league games against Cardiff City (W4 D1), since a 2-1 defeat in October 2012. Overall, each of the Hornets' last 12 such matches since August 2005 have seen both sides score.

● Cardiff have lost more home Championship games in 2024 than any other side (10), losing six of their last 10 such games (W4), including each of the previous two.

● Watford are unbeaten in their last four league games (W2 D2) and could record three successive clean sheets in the league for the first time since August 2023.

● Only Portsmouth (9) have conceded more goals from outside the box in the Championship this season than Cardiff (6), while only Rubin Colwill (9) has recorded more shots on target from outside the box in the competition this term than Watford's Giorgi Chakvetadze (8).

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Watford manager Tom Cleverley has praised former Hornets boss Marco Silva for helping him perform as a player and guiding his style in the dugout.

"He is one who has had real influence on the way I coach," Cleverley told BBC 3CR.

"As a player, I felt [he] was completely clear on the job he wanted from me."

Silva, who is now at Fulham, managed Watford in the Premier League during the 2017-18 season.

"Sir Alex [Ferguson] is a manager I have had, but Marco is the best coach I ever played under, and [I have] a lot of respect for him," said the former Manchester United midfielder.

"He didn't overcomplicate football. Every decision he made, made complete sense."

Silva was just 40 years old when he took charge of Watford, but Cleverley, at 35, is starting to make a name for himself in his first full season in charge, with his side unbeaten in 15 home matches and sitting sixth in the Championship table.

Cleverley also played under Cardiff City manager Omar Riza, who he will face on Saturday.

"He is someone I respect. Returning from injury in two under-21s games, I played under Omar," he revealed.

"[He is] not afraid to have fresh ideas. We have to be ready to adapt on the day."

Commentary of Cardiff v Watford on 103.8FM Saturday at 15:00 GMT.

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Watford have signed young striker Nickson Okosun from Irish side Bohemians for an undisclosed fee.

The 18-year-old has agreed a deal until 2029 and will become part of the Hornets' under-21 squad.

Okosun has been given permission to begin training with Watford until the transfer is officially completed on 1 January 2025.

He made seven appearances for Bohemians and has represented the Republic of Ireland at U16, U17 and U19 level.

“I’m happy to be here and I can’t wait to get going,” Okosun told the club website, external.

“I like to link up and get in behind and I love scoring goals as well. It’s a big club and there are good people, and Watford really resonated with me in that sense.

“Hopefully, I’ll hit the ground running and I’ll try and impress people here.”

Geoff Doyle
BBC 3CR sports editor

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We are going to know more about Watford‘s promotion credentials in the next couple of weeks.

The Hornets have successive away games at Swansea and Hull coming up and if they can produce results there, they are in a decent position in the lead-up to the busy Christmas and New Year period.

Watford‘s home form this season has been sensational. Tom Cleverley's side have the second best record in the Championship, bettered only by Sheffield United, and they remain unbeaten with seven wins out of nine.

That’s the reason they sit sixth in the table but to remain in the promotion picture, the away form still needs improving.

It has got better in recent games at Plymouth, Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds and it’s that type of form required rather than some of the stuff Watford produced on their travels earlier in the season.

The club's promotion ambition will be evident in the January transfer window.

Watford need another striker and probably a midfielder, but their biggest victory will be keeping hold of star midfielder Giorgi Chakvetadze.

He’s top of the charts in terms of creating chances in open play, progressions and carries and Watford must keep him if they are to mount a serious challenge for promotion back to the top flight.

Automatic promotion looks out of their reach but the play-offs are certainly not.

Commentary of Cardiff v Watford on 103.8FM Saturday at 15:00 GMT.

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It is one of the most eagerly anticipated dates in the football calendar as Premier League and Championship clubs join the FA Cup action from round three.

The draw will take place on Monday, 2 December from 19:00 GMT and can be watched live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

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Watford boss Tom Cleverley has revealed Tom Dele-Bashiru's recovery from a knee injury has suffered a setback.

The midfielder has not played since a 3-0 defeat by Luton on 19 October.

"Kevin Keben and Angelo Ogbonna are still out, and Tom Dele's suffered a setback in his rehab, so that's this week's bad news," Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio.

Watford have won two of their past three Championship matches and are fifth in the table as they prepare to host QPR on Saturday, and the Watford head coach has had some good news on the injury front this week.

"Daniel Jebbison is back in training [on Friday], and I'm expecting him to come through that and be available for the weekend," he said.

Forward Jebbison missed the draw at Plymouth last Friday and Tuesday's win over Bristol City due to what Cleverley described as "a niggle" injury.

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Watford head coach Tom Cleverley said he would like his side to be "a bit more entertaining" following their 1-0 win against Bristol City.

The Hornets dropped two points in stoppage time in their 2-2 draw at Plymouth last Friday before edging past the Robins at Vicarage Road on Tuesday night.

That result lifted Watford to fifth and ensures they will remain in the play-off positions by the time they host QPR at the weekend.

"Friday, the performance is sustainable to go in an upward trajectory, and tonight [Tuesday], the mindset is," Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"Now our challenge is to put the two of them together as consistently as we can, starting with QPR on Saturday."

Watford are the third most entertaining side in the Championship so far, with 50 goals across their 17 games - six fewer than Norwich City, who have been involved in games with the most goals (56) and two less than Plymouth (52).

Despite that, Cleverley still wants his side to build on three consecutive 1-0 home wins with more attacking output.

"Like I said before, the challenge is performance on Friday, mindset this evening - put them both together Saturday and try and be a bit more entertaining," Cleverley added.

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Watford boss Tom Cleverley believes his side will shake off the disappointment of conceding a late equaliser at Plymouth on Friday as they prepare to host Bristol City in the Championship on Tuesday.

The Hornets were on course for just their third away win of the season before Andre Gray struck an injury-time leveller in a 2-2 draw.

"We've all got big ambitions this season - we've all agreed what we want to achieve," Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"We want to be in the top six and challenge for promotion and every win is vital so when one slips from your grasp it does hurt."

Watford go into the game at Vicarage Road with one of the Championship's four unbeaten home records and sitting in seventh place, with only goal difference keeping them out of the top six.

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Watford will have Republic of Ireland international Festy Ebosele back following a one-match ban for Tuesday's home game against Bristol City.

Ebosele missed Friday's 2-2 draw with Plymouth Argyle when Andre Gray's added-time equaliser cost the Hornets all three points.

Young midfielder Pierre Dwomoh could also be in Tom Cleverley's squad, having last played in the 1-0 win over Oxford United on 8 November.

Image source, BBC Sport

Watford are only behind West Brom in the play-off spots on goal difference following their 2-2 draw at Plymouth on Friday night and have won three of their last five games (D1 L1).

They host Bristol City on Tuesday night, who fell to their second defeat in three games in a 1-0 loss at home to Burnley on Saturday, having previously been unbeaten in eight (W3 D5).

• Watford have lost only one of their last six league games against Bristol City (W2 D3).

• Bristol City are looking to win consecutive away league visits to Watford for the first time since doing so in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

• Watford are unbeaten at Vicarage Road in the league in their previous 11 games (W7 D4); they last went 12 such games unbeaten in January 1999.

• Bristol City are looking to win three successive away league games for the first time since September 2021 under Nigel Pearson.

• Only against Rotherham (9) does Watford's Tom Ince have more EFL goals against a side than Bristol City (8), though he hasn't scored in his last seven league games against the Robins.

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Watford head coach Tom Cleverley was not angry with his players despite seeing his side drop two points in stoppage time of the 2-2 draw at Plymouth on Friday.

The Hornets had looked to be taking all three points from Home Park, which would have taken them to fourth in the Championship, until ex-Watford striker Andre Gray's 96th-minute leveller.

"I can't be too angry with the players, it was everything we asked for, we asked for a real underdog mentality when we haven't got the ball," the former Manchester United midfielder told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"I thought the players were dogged, they were aggressive, they won duels, they won second balls.

"In possession we showed real class and calmness, we just didn't get that third goal you always feel like you need when you're coming here - they score a lot of late goals and that's what's undone us.

"Our leaky defence and our away form has been questioned this season and I'm honestly not sure how we've not picked up three points."

Cleverley did, however, admit his team should have wrapped up the win well before Gray's late strike.

"Its about looking at ourselves - we should have done more to be out of sight at 2-1.

"I feel like we had so many opportunities in transition that we just weren't clinical enough."

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Watford manager Tom Cleverley has confirmed defender Kevin Keben will be sidelined for at least a further six weeks.

The Cameroon under-23 international has only made one appearance for the Hornets since making the move from Toulouse in the summer after arriving with a knee issue.

Cleverley said in his pre-match press conference, external that Keben could be out for as long as two months following surgery on another knee issue.

Pierre Dwomoh is also set to miss Friday night's Championship match at Plymouth Argyle due to illness while fellow midfielder Festy Ebosele serves a one-game suspension.

Watford will have Moussa Sissoko back from a three-match ban as they look for a fourth win in five Championship matches.

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Hornets midfielder Festy Ebosele helped the Republic of Ireland to a Nations League victory on his first start for his country on Thursday.

The County Wexford-born 22-year-old played 76 minutes on the right flank as the hosts saw off Finland by the only goal at the Aviva Arena.

He will hope to retain his place for the trip to Wembley to face England on Sunday (17:00 GMT).

The former Derby man, on loan from Udinese this season, was one of eight Watford players called up for senior international duty this week.

In-form Vakoun Bayo was called up by the Ivory Coast for the first time in six years while Edo Kayembe and Mamadou Doumbia are also on AFCON duty with Democratic Republic of Congo and Mali respectively.

Ryan Porteous is on Scotland duty in the Nations League while Giorgi Chakvetadze is action for Georgia, Ken Sema for Sweden while Francisco Sierralta is trying to help Chile in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

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Watford boss Tom Cleverley says there is still more to come from his squad despite being unbeaten at home and winning three of their past four Championship matches.

The Hornets' 1-0 win over Oxford last Friday made it six victories at Vicarage Road so far this season and leaves them in sixth place.

"I think the exciting part is we've not hit close to top gear yet - we've not hit consistency in first halves and we've not found consistency away from home," Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"The players are working as hard as they can to fulfil the potential I think the squad has and it's my job to stay on top of that."

Watford will travel to Plymouth for their next game, after the international break.