Watford

Watford travel to Cardiff on Tuesday (19:45 GMT) looking to end a run of three consecutive defeats in the Championship.

The Hornets have slipped out of the play-off spots and down to ninth - and have also won just twice away from home this season (D2 L8).

The Bluebirds are 23rd following a run of one win in their past 12 league matches (D5 L6)

• Cardiff City are unbeaten across their past four league games against Watford (W3 D1), winning each of the past two in succession. The Welsh side haven't won three in a row against the Hornets since March 2010.

• Watford are unbeaten across their past five away league games against Cardiff City (W4 D1), since a 2-1 defeat in October 2012. Across that time, the Hornets have netted 14 goals in total.

• After a run of four successive home league wins between October/November, Cardiff are winless in their past five such games (D1 L4).

• Watford have lost four of their past five league games (W1) and could lose four such games in succession outside the top flight for the first time since November 2014.

• Only Sunderland (28), Stoke City (23) and Norwich City (18) have had more goal involvements from players aged 21 and under in the Championship this season than Watford (16).

Image source, Getty Images

Watford midfielder Pierre Dwomoh is expected to be out for two months after suffering a thigh injury in Thursday's FA Cup third-round defeat by Premier League side Fulham.

The 20-year-old Belgium youth international was making just his sixth appearance for the Hornets since moving to the Championship side from Royal Antwerp last summer.

Watford boss Tom Cleverley said he is familiar with the type of injury and what it will mean for the midfielder.

"It's very similar to the one I did actually," Cleverley told the club website. "Fortunately, he's a lot younger to recover from it, and it's his left foot."

Tom Dele-Bashiru, however, should be in the squad for Tuesday's game at Cardiff City for the first time since injuring his knee in October.

Venezia goalkeeper Jesse Joronen has emerged as transfer target for Watford this month following an injury to first-choice Daniel Bachmann. (DiMarzio - in Italian), external

The Hornets have also been linked, along with Middlesbrough, with a move for Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers. (talkSPORT), external

Want more EFL transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column.

BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has made his predictions for all 32 FA Cup third round games and given his verdict on who will make it into round four.

For this week's matches he is up against actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton, who is a Liverpool fan.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Fulham boss Marco Silva left Watford under a bit of a cloud in 2018, so it will be interesting to see what sort of reception he gets from their travelling fans.

Watford had been going pretty well under Tom Cleverley but three successive defeats have halted their progress a bit.

Fulham have had a great season so far, and they have a lovely balance about the way they play.

It would be great for them to have a cup run to go with their impressive league form, and hopefully Silva will be thinking that they should have a real go at the FA Cup, because they can beat anyone on their day.

As long as they go full strength, or close enough to it, they should get through this tie. That's my thinking for most Premier League sides facing lower league sides in the third round, but of course that is not always the case.

Thornton's prediction: 2-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham have failed to win any of their past six competitive games against Watford (D3 L3), conceding 14 goals during that time.

Image source, Rex Features

Bournemouth have recalled forward Daniel Jebbison from his season-long loan with Watford.

The 21-year-old made 13 appearances in the Championship for the Hornets with just three starts and no goals.

He joined Watford on loan in August having cost Bournemouth £1.5m from Sheffield United in July.

"Jebbo's career isn't going to be defined by this tough experience for him," Watford head coach Tom Cleverley told the club's website, external.

"The loan hasn't gone as well as anyone would have wished, but that doesn't mean there needs to be any resentment left to linger."

Watford head to Fulham in the FA Cup on Thursday while Jebbison could be included in the Bournemouth squad to host West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

Image source, Rex Features

Watford will be forced into making changes for Thursday's FA Cup third-round tie at Fulham, says head coach Tom Cleverley.

The Hornets have played five Championship games in a fortnight, losing four of them, and Cleverley says some of his players need a break.

"We simply haven't got the luxury of going out and replacing a really important player, so some have to be wrapped up in cotton wool," he told his pre-match news conference., external

"If we had been playing Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, Thursday, Tuesday, I think on Thursday you can go strong, but we've not. We've been playing Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday."

Cleverley has confirmed fringe players Pierre Dwomoh, Mamadou Doumbia and Antonio Tikvic will all be given some game time at Craven Cottage.

"I expect all of them to see the pitch at some point tomorrow," he said.

"There will be enough experience in there tomorrow to know what kind of game plan we are going for. We know we are going to have to manage the game in periods, going to a Premier League team who are on an unbeaten run."

Hull City have reportedly made a £1.7m bid for Watford defender Ryan Porteous, who is said to be unhappy with the Hornets and is looking for a move in January. (Fussball Europa - in German, external)

Want more EFL transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column.

Image source, Getty Images

Watford manager Tom Cleverley felt his side deserved a point from their 2-1 defeat by Sheffield United, but admitted they lacked a killer instinct.

Gustavo Hamer and Andre Brooks netted either side of Jeremy Ngakia's strike to secure victory for the Blades.

Watford have now won just two of their past six games, losing four, which has seen them slip four points adrift of the play-offs.

"One team knew how to win, the other is pretty new to it. There is not much between the teams," Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"I told the players the month of December finds teams out and it has found us out.

"It is my job to knuckle down and get this group together because we've shown our fragilities these recent weeks."

Cleverley confirmed a positive prognosis on the injury picked up by goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann late on, ruling out a dislocated ankle or ruptured Achilles tendon.

Image source, Rex Features

Tom Cleverley has been given a fitness boost ahead of Sheffield United's visit to Vicarage Road on Saturday afternoon.

Back-to-back defeats have seen the Hornets drop out of the play-off places but Cleverley could name Angelo Ogbonna in his XI for the first time since the 3-0 defeat at Luton on 19 October, having been an unused sub over the festive period.

"He's a live player, and ready from the start tomorrow," Cleverley told his pre-match press conference.

Imran Louza is also back in contention after missing Wednesday's 3-1 defeat at QPR with a knee strain, while Tom Dele-Bashiru (also knee) is back in training after missing 14 matches also sustained in that defeat at Luton.

"It's good news... Imran's improved a lot and will be available for the game. Tom has rejoined the group so we're getting stronger (in central midfield)."

Watford and Sheffield United will seek to get back on track when they meet on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Hornets have lost back-to-back games to fall out of the play-off places while the Blades have picked up just one point from three games since Christmas to fall off the pace in the promotion race.

• Watford are unbeaten in each of their past four home league games against Sheffield United (W3 D1), keeping a clean sheet in each of those matches since losing 2-0 in January 2009.

• Following a 1-0 win at Bramall Lane in September, Sheffield United are aiming to complete a league double over Watford for the first time since 2008-09 under Kevin Blackwell.

• Watford were unbeaten in 15 straight home league games prior to losing to Cardiff in their final match of 2024 (W10 D5) – the Hornets last lost two in a row at Vicarage Road in the Championship in February.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their past 13 Championship matches played on a Saturday (W9 D4), since a 1-0 loss at home to Luton in March 2023.

• Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has never won away to former side Watford in the league, drawing 0-0 with the Blades in the Premier League in October 2019 before losing 2-1 with Middlesbrough in the Championship in August 2022.