Watford

Chris Wood starts up front for Newcastle after his £25m move from Burnley, in one of three changes to the Newcastle side that were embarrassed against Cambridge in the FA Cup last Saturday.

Paul Dummett makes his first appearance of the season after injury, and looks like he will play at left-back instead of Matt Ritchie.

Jamaal Lascelles returns to the centre of defence in place of Emil Krafth, while Jacob Murphy also drops to the bench.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Dummett, Fraser, Longstaff, Shelvey, Joelinton, Saint-Maximin, Wood.

Subs: Darlow, Gillespie, Ritchie, Lewis, Krafth, Murphy, Almiron, Willock, Anderson.

Image source, BBC Sport

Watford boss Claudio Ranieri makes seven changes to his side which lost in the FA Cup to Leicester, as all three new signings Hassane Kamara, Samir and Edo Kayembe make their debuts.

Ben Foster is back in goal to replace Daniel Bachmann, while Emmanuel Dennis and Josh King return to the attack.

Watford XI: Foster, Ngakia, Cathcart, Kamara, Kukca, Kayembe, Sissoko, Samir, Dennis, King, Joao Pedro

Subs: Bachmann, , Sierralta, Sema, Tufan, Femenía, Cleverley, Kabasele, Hernández, Morris

Image source, BBC Sport

We're bringing you live text commentary of Newcastle United v Watford, plus the rest of Saturday's Premier League matches.

Follow all the action here

Match report and all the reaction will be on this page later

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Geoff Doyle, BBC Three Counties Radio

Claudio Ranieri will make his most important team selection calls since he arrived at Watford on Saturday at Newcastle. The head coach has key decisions to make in pretty much every position on the pitch.

He has three new signings and must decide how many debuts he gives. He also has four players back from injury and must decide whether to throw them back in.

One of them is goalkeeper Ben Foster. Does he come back into the side for such a vital match after a groin injury and replace the jittery Daniel Bachmann who has conceded so many goals recently? It seems likely.

In defence, one of his new signings Hassane Kamara is expected at left-back as the Hornets' only other option is Under-23 player James Morris. Kamara was the only new signing in the FA Cup squad at Leicester last week.

Another new signing - centre-back Samir - may have to play if Ranieri decides Kiko Femenia isn't ready to return at right-back after injury. Craig Cathcart would then have to play there (unless he risks Jeremy Ngakia) leaving a hole in the middle of defence. Christian Kabasele could be another option but the centre-half has probably been out too long to start.

In midfield there's plenty to think about. Edo Kayembe is very much needed with Imran Louza at the Africa Cup of Nations and the midfield so poor at Leicester. Ranieri may also consider Ken Sema on the left to give more protection to Kamara but that would probably then mean leaving out Joao Pedro who was Watford's best player last weekend.

In attack Emmanuel Dennis and Joshua King will return but will the head coach play just those two up top like he did against Tottenham when the Hornets went more defensive or will he revert to his usual attacking side?

The player choices will depend on the strategy: bold or conservative? Ranieri has huge calls to make on both fronts and has to get the majority of them right in the first of three vital matches in a pivotal week.

Alan Penfold: I think we need to turn up when we play the teams around us. It’s not rocket science. We can’t keep blaming the manager, the players are responsible, and they’ve turned up against Everton and Man Utd this season, so why not anyone else? Time to stand up and be counted!

Lee: The transfers so far are sound and will hopefully bolster our leaky defence. We could also do with another strong defender and a creative, top class midfielder but that's easier to say than find at this time of the season. I just hope Ranieri is given the whole season to sort this out.

Ian: Again buying unknown and untested players on the cheap. I hope it’s enough but I fear it won’t be.

Anon: I predicted Watford would be relegated as soon as they got promoted. The owners have, in the past, failed to spend wisely enough in crucial areas. Last season, the defence was excellent - for the Championship - but needed to be bolstered for the Premier League. Only now has that happened. I hope the newcomers help us, or it's goodbye Sarr and Dennis.

Are you optimistic the new signings will help you in these crucial games? Get involved over here

Mark Lawrenson takes on grime star and Wolves fan S-X in the latest round of Premier League predictions.

Lawro's prediction: 2-1

Chris Wood should go straight into the Newcastle side and I can see why they bought him. He is not a prolific goalscorer but he is a powerful force up front, and will hold the ball up.

You can just picture the scene at St James' Park - there will be a full house and, after signing Wood, they will all be expecting a really good performance and a win.

Newcastle need it, not just to improve their own situation but to keep Watford right in the relegation mix as well. The problem Eddie Howe's men have there is that, defensively, we know they are all over the place.

I still think the Magpies will win, because Watford are leaking a lot of goals and losing a lot of games, but it might be a tense finish and Newcastle will need their fans as well as Wood to get them over the line.

S-X's prediction: 1-2

Newcastle need a win badly, but so do Watford and I just have a feeling the Hornets will edge it.

Find out how Lawro and S-X think the rest of the weekend's fixtures will go

Newcastle's new signing Chris Wood is expected to make his debut in the absence of the injured Callum Wilson.

Paul Dummett and Jamal Lewis are edging closer to a return from injury, while Javier Manquillo is suspended.

Watford's Emmanuel Dennis, Kiko Femenia, Ben Foster and Christian Kabasele all face fitness tests.

New signings Hassane Kamara, Edo Kayembe and Samir are available but Peter Etebo, Nicolas Nkoulou and Ismaila Sarr remain out.

Imran Louza, Adam Masina and William Troost-Ekong are at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Is Chris Wood in your Magpies starting XI?

Pick and share your Watford XI

Image source, Getty Images

Jacob Culshaw, WD18 YouTube channel, external

Halfway through this Premier League season and it’s ‘make or break’ time for Watford. Every Hornet knows just how season-defining this week’s matches against Newcastle (away), Burnley (away) and Norwich (home) are. All three are proverbial ‘six-pointers’.

Saturday’s trip to St James' Park is the first of three cup finals. Both sides are desperate for a win after finding themselves in the most precarious of positions. A defeat for Watford and it would be the first time this season we have dropped into the relegation zone, giving Newcastle a huge boost at our expense.

However, a win, or even a draw, gives the Golden Boys something to build on going into the following two pivotal fixtures.

A loss to the Magpies and us Watford fans will fear the worst.

What do you think of Watford's run of fixtures? Will they claim some precious points? Let us know here

Image source, Getty Images

Mike Parkin, From The Rookery End podcast, external

Nerves, anticipation, excitement and apprehension.

Just some of the emotions engulfing us as we enter a season-defining trio of games, over the space of a week.

The first make-or-break encounter is at St James’ Park, where Newcastle, bolstered by Kieran Tripper and Chris Wood, will be desperate to kickstart their season. The fact that Watford haven't kept a Premier League clean sheet is most concerning as, while we boast exciting attacking options in Dennis, King and Joao Pedro, the inability to keep goals out has resulted in a dispiriting seven-match losing streak.

We acted swiftly in the transfer window, bringing in a trio of defensive reinforcements in Hassane Kamara, Samir and Edo Kayembe. There's a distinct feeling the survival bid will hinge on how effectively they are deployed.

If Claudio Ranieri and his new-look squad (albeit shorn of key performers such as Imran Louza at Afcon with Morocco) can stabilise that almost unfeasibly porous defence, we hope the season can be rescued and relegation avoided.

That said, there’s no hiding that it is now or never for Watford. Failure to deliver a healthy points return against their nearest rivals would be regarded as fatal.

It’s the biggest week of the season for Watford - the fans are ready, we’re just hoping the team is too.

Watford fans, how are you feeling about these games? Let us know over here

Watford, Southampton and Norwich are monitoring 19-year-old Lewes winger Ollie Tanner. (Sun), external

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

We've been asking you to give us your thoughts on Watford's transfer business and what you hope to see before the window closes.

Here are some of your views so far:

Mick, Watford: Watford are trying to build a team on the cheap. If we carry on like this we’ll end up back in the Championship and I can’t see us going back up again.

Craig, Billericay: Great intentions from Watford - but probably should have been assessed pre-season given defence was so clearly not good enough. Let’s hope it is not too late.

Dave, Watford: We need two or three defenders. Would prefer them to be centre-backs.

Have your say here

Which players should you get rid of because of injury? And who is best to get into your side for the Double Gameweek?

Alistair Bruce-Ball, Chris Sutton and the Statman Dave bring you the answers - and much more - in this week's Fantasy 606 podcast.

This week they’re joined by Ryan and Mark from the Football Fanalytics podcast to look at how expected goals and expected threat can influence fantasy football.

Remember, the deadline for this week is 18:30 GMT on Friday.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

• Newcastle United have dropped 19 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season – only in 1999-00 (24) and 2004-05 (31) have they ever lost more in a single campaign in the competition.

• Watford have won two of their past four away league games against Newcastle (D1 L1), as many as they had in their first 14 such visits to St James’ Park (W2 D3 L9).

• Newcastle have won just one of their 19 Premier League games so far this season (D8 L10). Just one of the past 13 teams to have one win or fewer at the halfway stage of an English top-flight campaign has survived relegation, with West Bromwich Albion doing so in 2004-05.

• Watford are without a clean sheet in any of their last 28 Premier League games, since beating Liverpool 3-0 in February 2020. The Hornets’ last clean sheet away from home in the competition was in January 2020, in a 3-0 victory against Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth.

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle host Watford on Saturday in a crucial game at the bottom of the Premier League table - but how did they fare in the reverse fixture at Vicarage Road?

Steve Bruce's side were denied their first win of the season as Ismaila Sarr scored late to pinch a point for the Hornets.

Sean Longstaff put the Magpies ahead with a dipping shot from distance that Ben Foster could not keep out and Bruce's team were good value for the lead.

Indeed, Miguel Almiron, Joelinton and Longstaff could all have extended the advantage only for Sarr to head home a corner with 18 minutes left.

Since this encounter, Bruce has gone and Watford's revolving managerial door has seen Claudio Ranieri replace Xisco Munoz.

What remains the same is that both sides are in dire need of points and this one could be a tense fixture at St James' Park.

Image source, Getty Images

Claudio Ranieri says the work ethic of his players deserves better results and the Italian is confident they will come.

Speaking before Saturday's massive game against Newcastle, Ranieri said: "I believe in this team and I'm sure at the end we will be safe. But, of course, we have to change our [league] position.

"Look, when I say I believe in my team, I see in the training sessions they work so hard. And if you continue, look to fight, to believe in yourself. Sooner or later, you will win. That is important, that's what my experience tells me.

"If you come to watch the training session, they are fantastic. I have a lot of experience and I say this team will be safe. It's unbelievable, our position."

The Hornets next three games are against the three sides below them in the Premier League table and Ranieri hopes Saturday's game can kickstart some positive results.

"This is a big match for us, for them, but also in this week we play three times against teams who are in the relegation fight," he said. "And then it's very important to be solid, strong, because also the opponent will be strong and solid."

Geoff Doyle, BBC Three Counties Radio

Claudio Ranieri has been speaking to the media before Watford's match against Newcastle on Saturday.

Here are the key lines:

• Ranieri says "everybody is available and we are ready" and he confirmed Ben Foster, Christian Kabasele, Kiko Femenia and Emmanuel Dennis are back from injury.

• He must decide whether to play all three new signings - Samir, Hassane Kamara and Edo Kayembe. "We will see. I have to speak to them. They have strong qualities".

• He cannot believe the position Watford find themselves in: "I believe in my players, in this squad. If you watch the training sessions we are fantastic. It's unbelievable our position".

• Ranieri said his players work so hard "and if you continue to fight, to believe in yourself, sooner or later, you will win".

• On facing Newcastle, Ranieri said: "This is a big match for us, for them, but also in this week we play three times against teams who are in the relegation fight".

• On new Newcastle striker Chris Wood: "He's strong, very good in the air, very good when he holds the ball".

• He says he is "happy" with Watford's three new signings who he says have "strong qualities" but adds "never say never" when asked whether he would do any more business this January.

We're nearing the midway point of the January transfer window, so here's your latest round-up of the best Watford transfer gossip to drop so far:

• As Claudio Ranieri searches for a new centre-back, Watford have made a bid for Liverpool's Nat Phillips, who the Merseyside club are willing to listen to offers for during this transfer window. (Football Insider), external

• The Hornets are also one of the teams in the picture to sign Alexis Flips from Reims, who is valued at around 7m euros. (Footmercato - in French), external

• Meanwhile, Watford have told full-back Danny Rose that he will not play for the club again and is free to leave in January. (Sky Sports), external

Catch up with all the latest transfer news by tuning into BBC Radio 5 Live's Transfer Gossip Daily podcast on BBC Sounds.

You can also get all the best transfer chat via our gossip column here and track every done deal throughout January here.

What do you make of Watford's transfer window so far? Let us know here.

Image source, Getty Images

It's a massive few weeks for Claudio Ranieri's side.

Six defeats in a row and an upcoming fixture list that reads Newcastle (a), Burnley (a) and Norwich (h).

So how are you feeling? Will these games turn around your season?

Let us know your thoughts on all things Watford over here