Watford

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Former West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker has backed Watford to stay in the Premier League after the Hornets' vital win over Southampton on Sunday.

Roy Hodgson's side bounced back from a thumping defeat against Wolves to move level on points with 17th-placed Everton.

"I think Watford will sneak out of it, I really do," Reo-Coker told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"That win will be such a big confidence boost for them. They look structured, they look organised and they seem to know what they are doing in terms of gameplan."

Ex-Manchester City forward Paul Dickov said the credit for the win should go to manager Hodgson who has overseen two victories and two draws from his nine games in charge.

"His sides have always been difficult to beat," Dickov said. "This is where his experience of being in relegation battles and grinding out results will be felt."

Listen to the full discussion on Watford's survival chances from 13'40 on BBC Sounds

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Geoff Doyle, BBC Three Counties Radio

Watford's victory at Southampton lifted the air of doom and gloom and has offered renewed hope that they might get out of relegation danger. Before the match the talk was that in most other seasons Watford would be pretty much down and out.

Ten games to go with just 19 points on the board they would probably be cut adrift. They would normally need about another 20 points from a possible 30 and considering they have Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea to go to that would be unrealistic.

However, this season is different. Fortunately for Watford, there are four other teams with very few points so they still have a small chance. And following the win at St Mary's and Everton's defeat the table looks even better now.

They are level on points with the team outside the relegation zone - Everton - and four points from the team above them - Leeds. What’s more, both those clubs have to come to Vicarage Road as do Burnley - the team below Watford, plus Brentford.

The shame is that Roy Hodgson's side have to wait three weeks for their next game while rivals play in between. And that next Hornets match is at Anfield against Liverpool.

Nevertheless there is still that tiny glimmer of hope as a result of four other teams who have been just as or almost as poor.

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• Watford gained their first victory against Southampton in the Premier League since September 2017 (2-0), ending a run of six such games against the Saints without a win (D3 L3).

• Southampton have lost consecutive Premier League home games for the first time since February 2021 (a run of three).

• The eight points Watford have gained in their nine Premier League games under Roy Hodgson have all come away from home (W2 D2 L2 away from home); only Chelsea (9) have amassed more points on the road since the Hornets’ first such game under Hodgson.

• The Hornets' last 82 Premier League goals have all been scored from inside the box, since Gerard Deulofeu’s 19-yard strike against Cardiff in February 2019.

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Harry Poole, BBC Sport

Watford had won just once in eight since Roy Hodgson's appointment as manager in late January, but this spirited performance was the perfect response to their capitulation against Wolves on Thursday

A double from Cucho Hernandez against an out-of-sorts Southampton means the Hornets now remain in the bottom three on goal difference alone, after Everton lost to Wolves.

The 22-year-old Colombian produced two rather different - though equally impressive - finishes as the visitors held on for a huge three points.

Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl introduced striker Armando Broja at the break but it had little effect on his below-par side, who must regroup quickly as they aim to cause an upset in their FA Cup quarter-final against Premier League leaders Manchester City next Sunday.

The 74-year-old Hodgson could certainly have done without the late video assistant referee check for a handball against defender Christian Kabasele in a tense finale, but his side dug in to give their survival hopes a significant boost.

Watford manager Roy Hodgson speaking to BBC Sport: "I thought we played well today from the first minute. We weren't doing that badly on Thursday [against Wolves]. We're not top of the table, we're near the bottom and when you're 3-0 down players have to show enormous character to get back from that.

"I'm really pleased with the performance today. The front players gave us another level of energy from what we've been seeing. I thought we created quite a few opportunities to score.

"Our crowd were incredible today - it was like a home game. You can't ask more if you're a Watford player."

We are bringing you live text commentary of Southampton v Wolves, plus the rest of Sunday's Premier League action.

Follow all the action here

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

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Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has made two changes following the Saints' 2-1 defeat by Newcastle United.

Tino Livramento, who is not in the squad, is replaced by Romain Perraud in defence, while Will Smallbone comes in for the benched Armando Broja.

Southampton XI: Forster, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Salisu, Perraud, Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Smallbone, Romeu, Elyounoussi, Adams.

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There are three changes for Watford after their 4-0 loss at Wolves.

Roy Hodgson hands starts to Christian Kabasele, Joao Pedro and Juraj Kucka.

Craig Cathcart, Tom Cleverley and Josh King drop to the bench.

Watford XI: Foster, Femenia, Kabasele, Samir, Kamara, Sissoko, Louza, Kucka, Pedro, Dennis, Hernandez.

Mark Lawrenson takes on rapper and Chelsea fan ArrDee in the latest round of Premier League predictions.

Lawro's prediction: 2-0

Watford boss Roy Hodgson has come in so late in the season that he is still searching for his best XI and is also unsure about which formation to use, which is far from ideal when you are stuck in the bottom three with time running out to get out of trouble.

The Hornets have won only one of Hodgson's seven games in charge and it's hard to see where the improvement they need will come from now.

Southampton have been very strong at St Mary's this season, so this is another difficult game for Watford. Mind you, most games look hard when you are a run like they are on.

ArrDee's prediction: I can't see a lot of goals in this game. 1-0

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

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Southampton winger Nathan Tella could make his comeback from the groin injury which has caused him to miss the past nine games.

Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and defender Lyanco remain long-term absentees.

Watford defender William Troost-Ekong is likely to be available after a groin strain, while full-back Jeremy Ngakia might return from a hamstring issue.

Forward Joao Pedro missed the defeat at Wolverhampton with Covid-19, while Ismaila Sarr is still out.

Choose your Saints side to face Watford

Select your Hornest starting line-up

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Roy Hodgson has called for his players to “move on” from a humbling defeat at Wolves on Thursday evening.

The Hornets conceded three goals in a brutal first-half spell and are three points from safety, having played more games than Burnley and Everton, the two sides immediately above them.

Sunday’s game at Southampton offers an instant chance to reignite their quest to stay in the Premier League, and Hodgson rejected any suggestion his players are not trying.

“It’s a heavy defeat, but we have to keep ourselves going,” he said. “The result and performance don’t have to affect us for the next game if we don’t want them to.

“It gets hard when you feel your players don’t care enough, and I don’t think we’re in that situation.

“We could be accused in a lot of areas of not being good enough at the moment, but they really are doing the work.

“They are covering the ground, they are making the tackles, they are getting back in after we’ve lost the ball.

“If we’re going to survive, that’s what we need.”

• Southampton are unbeaten in their past six Premier League games against Watford, winning each of the past three (D3). Indeed, Saints have lost just two of their 13 meetings with the Hornets overall in the competition (W6 D5).

• Watford have lost each of their past seven Premier League games on a Sunday, including all four such games this season. In Premier League history, only three sides have ever lost eight consecutive Sunday games – Birmingham City (2005-2007), Bournemouth (2015-2016) and Fulham (2018-2020).

• Saints midfielder James Ward-Prowse has scored four goals in his past five Premier League starts against Watford. Against no side has he scored more goals in the competition than his four against the Hornets.

• Hornets boss Roy Hodgson has won just three of his 11 Premier League meetings with Southampton (D2 L6). Of all sides he’s faced at least 10 times in the competition, he’s only won fewer against Tottenham (W1 D6 L12).

Watford return to Premier League action on Sunday when they travel to Southampton for a vital game in their survival quest.

The Hornets have shown signs of improvement under Roy Hodgson but made a catalogue of errors in Thursday's dire 4-0 loss at Wolves to stay second bottom.

Should Hodgson make wholesale changes to his starting XI after the Molineux mauling? Who do you want to see line up at St Mary's?

It's time to choose your Hornets side to face Southampton

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• Wolves enjoyed their joint-biggest Premier League victory, matching a 4-0 win over Blackpool in February 2011.

• Watford failed to manage a shot on target for the first time in 32 league games, since April 2021 against Luton in the Championship.

• Bruno Lage's side completed the league double over the Hornets for just the third time, previously doing so in the second tier in both 1991-92 and 2008-09.

• Watford have conceded three own goals in the Premier League this season, with only Everton (four) putting through their own net more often.

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Simon Stone, BBC Sport

Roy Hodgson has made no secret of his desire to bring defensive discipline to Watford, believing that if they are to succeed in their quest to avoid relegation it will come through organisation.

The opening period must have come as a nasty shock.

The Hornets seemed unable to cope with a Wolves attack that has never been viewed as one of the more potent in the top flight.

They have won just one of their past 16 league games, missed the opportunity to move level on points with fourth-bottom Everton and, worryingly for them, they have also played more matches than the sides immediately above them and have a worse goal difference.

Wolves, meanwhile, can reflect on having scored three times in the first half of a Premier League game at Molineux for the first time since their April 2019 win over Arsenal.

This was also the first time they have done a Premier League double over Watford.

The result also keeps Bruno Lage's eighth-placed side in with a chance of securing a return to European football two seasons after reaching the Europa League quarter-finals.

Watford manager Roy Hodgson: "Wolves are a quality team. At half-time we were staring down the barrel of a gun.

"It was a wonder chip from Ruben Neves but at 3-0 you are in big trouble. All the goals are mistakes, some are clearer mistakes than others.

"It was disappointing in every respect. We have a very sad dressing room. It gets hard when your players don’t care enough, but we are not in that position yet. We have to hold our hands up that we are not good enough at times, but not that they don’t care.

"These players need to feel anxiety because we are running out of time."

Jonny and Willy Boly make their first Premier League starts of the season for Wolves.

They are two of four changes as Jonny starts for the first time in a year while Boly is involved for the first time since Wolves' League Cup defeat to Tottenham back in September after struggling with injuries.

Raul Jimenez and Rayan Ait-Nour also come back into the side.

Wolves XI: Jose Sa, Boly, Coady, Saiss, Jonny, Neves, Joao Moutinho, Ait Nouri, Daniel Podence, Hwang, Jimenez.

Subs: Marcal, Pedro Neto, Trincao, Silva, Chiquinho, Ruddy, Kilman, Dendoncker, Cundle.

Joshua King makes his return from injury to take his place in the Watford starting line-up.

The inclusion of the forward is the only change made by boss Roy Hodgson from the side that lost to Arsenal last-time out.

Watford XI: Foster, Femenia, Cathcart, Samir, Kamara, Sissoko, Louza, Cleverley, Hernandez, Dennis, King.

Subs: Etebo, Masina, Sema, Bachmann, Kabasele, Kalu, Sierralta, Kucka, Kayembe.

Geoff Doyle, BBC Three Counties Radio

Watford have 11 matches left to stay in the Premier League. They probably need to win five or six of them to avoid the drop, so games are running out.

The Hornets put in one of their better performances in defeat by Arsenal last time out and they must build on that. The new front three of Emmanuel Dennis, Joao Pedro and Cucho Hernandez was a major positive.

Dennis is the leading scorer and has been a regular all season, but it was the other two who caught the eye.

Pedro just gets better and better. The lean Brazilian oozes class and if the Hornets do go down, they are going to struggle to keep him at the club in the Championship. His ability to drift past players with the ball at his feet is beautiful to watch as his technical ability shines through. A good Arsenal team were struggling to get near him at times.

Hernandez is also a likeable player. Smaller in size, he's like a little pocket rocket bursting forward, using his low centre of gravity and causing havoc. His scissor-kick goal against Arsenal was simply sensational, and not only is he a pest in attack, he works hard for the team out of possession.

If Dennis can return to the form we have seen from him over the season, Watford have a chance. Defensively - as a team - the Hornets have struggled all season. Out of possession they have to be absolutely bang on it all the time and playing at their top level. Any lapses in concentration and they are prone to conceding goals. Mentally - and to a lesser extent physically - this is extremely tough.

But another big positive of the past couple of months has been the form of Hassane Kamara. The £4m January signing from Nice has excelled at left-back. He's quick, good on the ball and defends well. Bukayo Saka was brilliant for the Gunners against Watford, but Kamara still managed to win a lot of their duels.

Watford still have to travel to Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea so this match at Wolves - while not easy - is one of those away games that they could do with getting something from.