Sunderland manager David Moyes: "I was pleased with the performance against Chelsea and in the end their keeper made some good saves.

"We have to win our home games if we want to stay in the Premier League. We are aiming for three points against Watford.

"It will be a tight game, a close one and we need to make sure we win it."

Image source, Reuters

John Roder
Match of the Day commentator

Statistics show that if a team are bottom of the Premier League on Christmas Day they are odds on to be relegated.

However, just three years ago Sunderland were 20th on 25 December and escaped the drop. As everyone acknowledges, top scorer Jermain Defoe will be key to Sunderland's chances in 2017, and it must worry fans that only three Black Cats players have scored in the league this season.

Watford were ruthless against Everton last weekend, and with Troy Deeney poised to return to the starting XI they'll be confident of repeating last season's victory at the Stadium of Light.

Mark Lawrenson
Former Liverpool defender

I don't think Watford will be as defensive as they were in their defeat by Manchester City on Wednesday.

Similarly, Sunderland will set up completely differently to the way they were when they lost to leaders Chelsea on the same evening.

It should be quite an open game, and I am going to go with Sunderland to nick it.

BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson's opponent for this week's predictions is tennis legend Boris Becker.

Becker - a three-time Wimbledon champion - supports Chelsea, Tottenham, AFC Wimbledon and Bayern Munich, so one of his teams should win today.

In terms of Sunderland v Watford, both Lawro (2-1) and Becker (1-0) reckon it will be a home win.

Do you agree? If not, you can make your Premier League predictions now, compare them with those of Lawro and other fans, and try to take your team to the top of the leaderboard by playing the BBC Sport Predictor game. 

Image source, Reuters

Sunderland manager David Moyes makes three changes from the midweek defeat by Chelsea as defender Donald Love, midfielder Didier Ndong and forward Victor Anichebe replace John O'Shea, Billy Jones and Jan Kirchhoff. 

Sunderland XI: Pickford, Love, Denayer, Djilobodji, Van Aanholt, Ndong, Kone, Januzaj, Anichebe, Defoe, Borini. 

Image source, .

Watford striker Troy Deeney returns to the starting line-up and is one of four changes made by boss Walter Mazzarri following the defeat at Manchester City on Wednesday. Right-back Juan Zuniga, centre-back Younes Kaboul and midfielder Valon Behrami are also back in the first XI as Daryl Janmaat, Adlene Guedioura, Roberto Pereyra and Jerome Sinclair make way.

Watford XI: Gomes, Zuniga, Kaboul, Prodl, Britos, Holebas, Amrabat, Behrami, Capoue, Deeney, Ighalo.

Image source, .

In terms of today's game, Sunderland are bottom of the Premier League and know they will be in the bottom three at Christmas even if they win.

However, they are four points from safety and a win would massively help their attempts to avoid relegation.

Watford are 11th in the top flight and 10 points ahead of the Black Cats but, having lost their past three away games and conceded 11 goals in the process, are the Hornets there for the taking? Let's find out...

Image source, Getty Images

A lovely gesture from Watford, via captain Troy Deeney, as he presents Sunderland captain Jermain Defoe with a Christmas card for Black Cats fan Bradley Lowery, who has touched many hearts in football in the last week.

You can read more about Bradley's story here.

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There is only one place to start today and that is with Bradley Lowery.

The five-year-old Sunderland supporter has terminal cancer and has captured even more hearts since being a mascot for the midweek game between the Black Cats and Chelsea.

He scored a penalty in the warm-up and there is a growing social media campaign with players, media and fans calling for it to be the official Premier League goal of the month.

We can only applaud brave Bradley.

Image source, PA