Watford

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• Manchester United have failed to score in five of their 14 Premier League home games this season – they last failed to find the net in more home league games in a season in 2013-14 (6).

• Roy Hodgson (W2 D2) is the fourth manager to go unbeaten in four consecutive away Premier League games against Manchester United, after Jurgen Klopp, Sean Dyche and Steve McClaren.

• The Reds have never lost a home league game against Watford (W11 D3) – facing the Hornets more often at home in their league history without suffering defeat than versus any other side.

• Watford have kept a clean sheet in consecutive away Premier League games for the first time since September 2017.

• At 38 years & 329 days old, Watford's Ben Foster became the oldest visiting goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet against United at Old Trafford in the Premier League.

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Simon Stone, BBC Sport

This result was nowhere close to being on the same scale as Watford's 4-1 success in the reverse fixture that triggered the dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. However, it will feel as though there is something more solid to build on.

Watford had gone 30 games without keeping a clean sheet when Roy Hodgson took over as manager - now they have three in six games, to go with the five points collected in the former England boss's short time in charge.

Emmanuel Dennis spurned their best chance but Hodgson will be delighted Ben Foster was not really stretched, with another former United player, Craig Cathcart, outstanding in the Hornets' defence.

It might not be pretty, but Hodgson will doubtless feel if his side can get to the period in the spring when they play four fellow relegation candidates in the space of six games, they will give themselves a chance of survival.

Watford boss Roy Hodgson speaking to BBC Match of the Day:

“It’s always going to be hard-fought draw here.

“We have a real top-class goalkeeper, certainly Premiership class and possibly above that. If you going to play up here, as we did today with the team we had to put out, you are going to need Ben Foster because there is no way we can be good enough to restrict them to not even one chance in the game.

“The boys did as much as we could ask of them today. I’m really proud of their performance and they should be proud of their performance. I expected to go into the dressing room to see people leaping about with glee, but I didn’t see that. They obviously have very high expectations of themselves."

We are bringing you live text and radio commentary of Manchester United v Watford, plus the rest of Saturday's Premier League fixtures.

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You'll be able to catch up with all the post-match reaction on this page after full-time.

Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick makes four changes to the side that started the 1-1 Champions League draw at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Anthony Elanga, who scored the equaliser for United in that game, is brought into the starting XI, along with Alex Telles, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Nemanja Matic.

Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw and Jadon Sancho drop to the bench.

Man Utd XI: De Gea, Lindelof, Pogba, Ronaldo, Fred, Fernandes, Varane, Telles, Wan-Bissaka, Matic, Elanga.

Subs: Henderson, Jones, Maguire, Mata, Rashford, Lingard, Dalot Shaw, Sancho.

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Watford boss Roy Hodgson makes just one change to the side the began the 4-1 midweek defeat by Crystal Palace at Vicarage Road.

Jeremy Ngakia comes in for Kiko Femenia, who is not even named among the substitutes. Joao Pedro and Juraj Kucka are named on the bench.

Joshua King starts despite exacerbating a back problem during that defeat by Palace.

Watford XI: Foster, Ngakia, Louza, King, Cleverley, Kamara, Cathcart, Sissoko, Samir, Sarr, Dennis.

Subs: Bachmann, Ekong, Pedro, Masina, Sema, Kabasele, Hernandez, Kucka, Kayembe.

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Mark Lawrenson takes on Feeder bassist and Chelsea fan Taka in the latest round of Premier League predictions.

Lawro's prediction: 3-0

Watford won 4-1 when these sides met in November, which was the end of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Manchester United manager.

Three months on and United still have issues. They put in another disjointed performance against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, but got away with a 1-1 draw and are very much in that last-16 tie. Under Ralf Rangnick, they do seem to have a knack of getting a result without playing particularly well, but I still feel they need a really convincing performance soon.

We know what Hornets boss Roy Hodgson will do - concede possession but try to make his side hard to break down and leave little space for United's attackers to operate in, then attack on the break.

On his last three visits to Old Trafford, with Crystal Palace between 2018 and 2020, it worked extremely well. He won twice and drew the other one 0-0, but it's going to be hard for Watford to replicate those results. I don't see them holding out.

Taka's prediction: 1-1

This will be an exciting game, which will end in a draw. Watford need the points and United are so up and down.

Find out how Lawro and Taka think the rest of the weekend's fixtures will go

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Manchester United remain without Edinson Cavani and Scott McTominay, who both missed Wednesday's game against Atletico Madrid.

Cavani has a groin injury and midfielder McTominay is ill.

Joshua King is available for Watford despite exacerbating a back problem during the midweek defeat by Crystal Palace.

Joao Pedro and Juraj Kucka have recovered from respective calf and abdominal muscle injuries.

Pick your United XI to face Watford

Should King start? Pick your Hornets side

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With just one win from their past 14 games, Roy Hodgson says confidence is low at Watford, but he hopes his side can reset before Saturday's game at Manchester United.

When asked if he believes he can pick his players up, Hodgson said: "It depends what you mean by confident.

"We are confident we can do a good job in preparing the team each week for the games. We are confident we have a group of players here who understand the gravity of the situation that we don't want to be relegated from the Premier League and know they are going to have to fight if that's not going to happen.

"I don't know where extra confidence comes from when you aren't winning matches and taking points. It's been a long spell now for Watford, both before we came and even in the brief time that we've been here, that those points have not been flowing in.

"Unfortunately, we've been steadily moving in the wrong direction rather than the right direction.

"After every game you need to reset the barometer and make certain that you have it pointing in the right direction. You want the fair winds and you don’t want the storm."

Roy Hodgson has been speaking to the media before Watford's Premier League match at Manchester United on Saturday.

Here are the key lines from the Hornets boss:

• Joao Pedro and Juraj Kucka are back in contention and Joshua King has returned to training.

• Hodgson has no fresh injury concerns but said he will leave his team selection to the last minute to give players time to properly recover from midweek.

• On recent results, he said: "Unfortunately we’ve been moving steadily in the wrong direction instead of the right direction".

• He added: "I don’t know where extra confidence comes from when you aren’t winning matches and taking points".

• When it comes to the relegation fight, Hodgson said they are "confident we have players who understand the gravity of the situation".

• On Manchester United, Hodgson said "the quality of the individuals is what worries you most because they have some of the most expensive players on the planet".

• He added that United have been "quite good" and fairly steady under Ralf Rangnick.

• Hodgson said Watford won't dwell on their 4-1 win over United in November because "past results have no effect whatsoever on future results".

Follow Friday's manager news conferences and Premier League build-up

• Manchester United have never lost a home league game against Watford (W11 D2) – they haven't faced another side more often at home in their league history without suffering defeat (also 13 vs Hull).

• Watford are looking to complete their first ever league double over United; they’ve won two of their last three against the Red Devils in the league, having won just one of their previous 15 before this (L14).

• United have lost just one of their last 21 Premier League home games kicking off at 15:00 on Saturday (W16 D4), though that loss did come against Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace in August 2019 (1-2).

• Following their 1-0 win at Aston Villa, Watford are looking to win consecutive Premier League away games for the first time since a run of three in August-September 2017 under Marco Silva.

Watford striker Ashley Fletcher is close to joining Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls on loan. (Sun), external

Want more transfer news? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Watford travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the Premier League this weekend after being beaten 4-1 at home by Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

The defeat for Roy Hodgson's side means they stay in the bottom three in 19th place, four points away from safety.

Hodgson stuck with the same side against Palace that brought him his first win as Hornets boss last time out over Aston Villa - would you switch things up on Saturday to take on United?

Pick the Hornets side you'd like to see and share it on social media

Alistair Bruce-Ball, Chris Sutton and Statman Dave talk about strategies to navigate your way through the next few game weeks and which players you should be getting into your team.

Listener Megan Hughes also pops by to discuss her incredible form in the head-to-head league as well as to play Statman Dave in a game of Sutton Death.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Watford, along with Brighton, Norwich and Southampton are interested in 19-year-old Chelsea academy star Xavier Simons, with the midfielder out of contract with the Blues in July. (Mail), external

Want more transfer news? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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• Crystal Palace have won 47 league games against Watford – they haven’t beaten any side more in their league history.

• Watford suffered their 10th home league defeat of the season – only in 1971-72 and 1987-88 (both 11) did they lose more at Vicarage Road in a single league campaign.

• The Eagles scored four or more goals for the first time in 53 Premier League games, since a 5-1 away win against West Bromwich Albion in December 2020.

• Moussa Sissoko’s leveller for Watford was his first goal in 61 Premier League appearances, since netting for Tottenham against Burnley in December 2019.

• Crystal Palace have conceded a league-high 27% of their Premier League goals from corners this season, with Watford’s goal their 10th conceded this term (out of 37 in total).

Alex Bysouth, BBC Sport

Roy Hodgson spent four years and 148 games in the Crystal Palace dugout but insisted there would be nothing sentimental about facing his old side for the first time since his departure at the end of last season.

It is an Eagles team that is unrecognisable in terms of style under Patrick Vieira, albeit worse off on points than the same stage last term, with Hodgson conceding they now play more expansive football than during his tenure.

Vieira is building a younger, more technically sound outfit but, after a solid start to the season, his side arrived in Hertfordshire on a six-game winless run since they beat Norwich on 28 December.

The Frenchman has bemoaned the "small details" that have cost Palace recently but they appeared to get those right on Wednesday with a clinical attacking performance, especially late on as Watford poured forward looking to level for the second time.

Watford's best chances to level fell to their own standout player this year, but Emmanuel Dennis could only coax over the crossbar after finding space inside the box.

The difference at the other end was Palace found Wilfried Zaha in ruthless form.

Hodgson may have hoped he had turned a corner with Watford after that win over Aston Villa, but Burnley's victory against Tottenham sees them slip to 19th in the table and in serious trouble.

Watford boss Roy Hodgson, speaking to Match of the Day: "We were punished harshly for having ability to block the crosses and shots from the edge of the box, for large parts it was fairly even, the problem was when the ball arrived they took their chances and scored goals.

"The last two we can't complain about, but we didn't do enough to block the shot or cross - it was a comfortable win for Crystal Palace without them having to outplay us.

"It is a harsh defeat in terms of the scorleine, to win by 4-1 was harsh on the Watford players today and the effort they put in.

"When you get a very good away win, everyone expects you to come out and win because that is what the dreams are made of, unfortunately it doesn't always work that way. That is something we have to accept and musn't allow it to affect what we do in future matches."