Summary

  • Watford winless in last seven league matches

  • Newcastle won only one of last seven away matches in all competitions

  1. More Saturday PL live actionpublished at 14:59 British Summer Time 5 May 2018

    Watford v Newcastle (15:00 BST)

    There are three other 15:00 BST games for you to follow right here.

    BBC Sport live page
  2. First team relegatedpublished at 14:57 British Summer Time 5 May 2018

    Watford v Newcastle (15:00 BST)

    Spolier alert...West Brom may be bottom of the table but it's actually Stoke who are the first team to be relegated from the Premier League this season after losing 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace in today's early kick-off.

    Click here for the match report.

  3. Dead rubber? Not according to Rafapublished at 14:55 British Summer Time 5 May 2018

    Watford v Newcastle (15:00 BST)

    Some have been saying this is an end-of-season dead rubber but Rafa Benitez is having none of that.

    The Newcastle boss said: "At the beginning [of the season], to finish in the top 17 would have been fine. For us, it was a great achievement.

    "If we can finish in the top 10, it would be even better for everyone to be proud of this season. Every player knows this and they will try.

    "For me, it's not a big difference to finish 12th or eighth, but because we are where we are, I would like to finish eighth if it's possible or ninth or 10th. It would be much better."

    Rafa BenitezImage source, Getty Images
  4. Team newspublished at 14:52 British Summer Time 5 May 2018

    Watford v Newcastle (15:00 BST)

    Watford XI

    Watford make three changes to the side that lost 2-0 away to Tottenham on Monday night. Adrian Mariappa, Kiko and Richarlison are left out, with captain Troy Deeney coming in off the bench.

    Darryl Janmaat returns to face his former club and Roberto Pereyra is the other man to come back in for the Hornets.

    Watford XI: Karnezis, Janmaat, Cathcart, Kabasele, Holebas, Hughes, Doucoure, Capoue, Pereyra, Deeney, Gray.

    Newcastle XI

    Newcastle make just two changes after losing 1-0 at home to West Brom last Saturday, with Florian Lejeune and Jacob Murphy coming in for DeAndre Yedlin and Matt Ritchie.

    On-loan striker Islam Slimani was handed a three-match ban in midweek for kicking out at Craig Dawson after coming on for Dwight Gayle.

    Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Manquillo, Lascelles, Lejeune, Dummett, Shelvey, Diame, Murphy, Perez, Kenedy, Gayle.

  5. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 5 May 2018

    #bbcfootball or text 81111

    Watford go into the game behind Bournemouth on goal difference so manager Javi Gracia could easily help the Hornets better their previous best Premier League finish of 13th.

    Will he still be in charge next season though?

    There are no guarantees about Rafa Benitez's future either. The Newcastle boss has dropped less-than-subtle hints that he could head for the exit if owner Mike Ashley doesn't give him funds to invest this summer.

    The Magpies confirmed in the week that the club is still up for sale.

  6. Lawro's predictionpublished at 14:42 British Summer Time 5 May 2018

    Watford v Newcastle (15:00 BST)

    Mark Lawrenson
    Former Liverpool defender

    "Watford actually played quite well in their defeat by Tottenham last week, but they have now gone seven games without a win.

    "Newcastle lost at home to West Brom and it is a bit like they are on the beach since they hit the 40-point mark.

    "It very difficult for Magpies manager manager Rafael Benitez to change that because, deep down, he will know they are safe and it is job done.

    "The players will know it too and the thing about the Premier League is that, if you are not quite at it, you get turned over. That is why I am backing Watford here."

    Lawro's prediction: 2-0

    Bay's prediction: 0-2

  7. Celebrity fanpublished at 14:37 British Summer Time 5 May 2018

    Watford v Newcastle (15:00 BST)

    So here's something I didn't know...James Bay, you know, the singer-songwriter who hails from Hertfordshire, turns out he's actually a Newcastle fan!!

    You can find out why here, where he's gone up against Mark Lawrenson for this weekend's Premier League predictions.

    Didn't realise James has had his locks chopped. Is it me or has he now got a look of Brett Anderson about him? And if you don't know who Brett Anderson is, ask your Mum or Dad.

    James BayImage source, Getty Images
  8. Not time for flip-flops just yetpublished at 14:31 British Summer Time 5 May 2018

    Watford v Newcastle (15:00 BST)

    There may be just one week of the Premier League season left but Watford and Newcastle still have a bit more work to do before they can swap their boots for flip-flops.

    Although the Hornets haven't won in seven, they've never really looked in danger of slipping into the bottom three. They're six points above the drop zone in 14th but the four teams below them all have a game in hand.

    One more win will allow Javi Gracia's men to switch to holiday mode, though, and I'm sure they'd rather get that in the bag today than have to travel to Old Trafford next Sunday needing a result.

    As for Newcastle, they can still clinch a top-half finish, which only the wildly-optimistic members of the Toon Army would have predicted when they were in the bottom three just before Christmas.

    Back-to-back defeats against Everton and West Brom have halted their momentum, but securing a top-10 spot with the Magpies would be a huge achievement for Rafa Benitez - almost as big as winning the Champions League in 2005.

    Live text coming up; before that we will bring you the team news.

    Watford and Newcastle fansImage source, Getty Images