Summary

  • Crystal Palace are looking for a third win in a row

  • Watford beat Liverpool last time out to end five-match winless run

  1. Postpublished at 14 mins

    Crystal Palace 0-0 Watford

    There's a short stoppage as Cheikhou Kouyate receives some treatment.

    He's back up and looks good to continue though.

  2. Postpublished at 11 mins

    Crystal Palace 0-0 Watford

    Patrick van Aanholt delivers a free-kick from close to the halfway line into the box and it is deflected out for a Palace corner.

    Can Van Aanholt do anything with this one?

    Nope, Watford clear untroubled once more.

  3. Postpublished at 8 mins

    Crystal Palace 0-0 Watford

    Palace earn the first corner of the game but Watford deal with it comfortably.

    The Eagles are able to send in another cross but Watford are quick to get out of their box and Ben Foster can watch the ball roll out for a goal-kick.

    Very even contest so far.

  4. Postpublished at 6 mins

    Crystal Palace 0-0 Watford

    Quick feet from Will Hughes, who finds himself on the edge of the penalty area after a great run but the ball is stolen away from him just as he pulls the trigger.

    He takes a big swing at nothing and Palace survive.

  5. Postpublished at 3 mins

    Crystal Palace 0-0 Watford

    Watford get their first spell of possession but Will Hughes is eventually crowded out down the right and Palace force the visitors back into their own half for now.

  6. Postpublished at 2 mins

    Crystal Palace 0-0 Watford

    Troy Deeney is forcing the Crystal Palace defenders to think quickly as the hosts knock the ball around at the back.

    The Watford forward isn't having any of it and forces Scott Dann to send the ball back to his keeper.

  7. Watford edge recent head-to-headpublished at 1 min

    Crystal Palace 0-0 Watford

    Watford are unbeaten in five matches against Crystal Palace in all competitions, winning three and drawing two.

    The Hornets have also won three of their past five away league games against Palace, including a 2-1 Premier League victory last season.

    It finished 0-0 when the sides met at Vicarage Road earlier this season...

  8. KICK-OFFpublished at 15:00 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2020

    Crystal Palace 0-0 Watford

    Away we go!

  9. Postpublished at 14:59 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2020

    Crystal Palace v Watford (15:00 GMT)

    No handshakes between the players due to worries around coronavirus but a few fist bumps and awkward nods to each other instead...

  10. 'Two teams with a spring in their step'published at 14:58 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2020

    Crystal Palace v Watford (15:00 GMT)

    Simon Brotherton
    BBC commentator

    Two teams with a spring in their step after significant wins: Palace enjoying success on the road over rivals Brighton, and Watford the first team to get the better of Liverpool in the league this season with a 3-0 thumping at Vicarage Road.

    Back-to-back wins leave Roy Hodgson's Palace in a comfortable-looking 12th place, while the Hornets have hauled themselves just above the relegation zone.

    I'm not expecting too many goals at Selhurst Park, though. Palace are the lowest scorers at home in the Premier League with just 11 goals, while Watford have failed to find the net in a league-high dozen matches.

  11. Deulofeu confirms "great" surgerypublished at 14:57 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2020

    Crystal Palace v Watford (15:00 GMT)

    On the injury to Gerard Deulofeu, the Watford forward this afternoon confirmed his surgery went "great" after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and tore his meniscus against Liverpool.

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  12. 'It will be tough'published at 14:54 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2020

    Crystal Palace v Watford (15:00 GMT)

    Nigel pearsonImage source, Getty Images

    Watford head coach Nigel Pearson: "We know it's going to be a very tough game for us. The corresponding game [in December] was goalless but both sides tried to win it.

    "It wasn't a boring game of chess. It was two committed sides who nullified each other. It will be a tough game, for sure."

  13. Hodgson agrees contract extensionpublished at 14:52 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2020

    Crystal Palace v Watford (15:00 GMT)

    Roy HodgsonImage source, Getty Images

    A good week for Crystal Palace saw the club move clear of the relegation places and manager Roy Hodgson sign a one-year contract extension until the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

    "I'm delighted that the club and I have reached agreement. I'm proud of what we have achieved since I was appointed," Hodgson said.

    "Everyone knows how I feel about the club that I supported as a boy. I feel a special bond with the supporters and know that myself, the owners and the players are all working together to achieve the same goal."

  14. 'Palace win when they need to'published at 14:51 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2020

    Crystal Palace v Watford (15:00 GMT)

    Mark Lawrenson
    Ex-Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    I always felt the Eagles were a side who could pull out a win when they really needed one, and they have done that in their past two games against Newcastle and Brighton, just when they were slipping into trouble.

    Both of those wins came by a single goal and I think this one will be by an identical margin, to put even more distance between them and the teams at the bottom.

    Prediction: 1-0

  15. Who can maintain momentum?published at 14:49 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2020

    Crystal Palace v Watford (15:00 GMT)

    Troy DeeneyImage source, Getty Images

    Crystal Palace's 1-0 win over Brighton last weekend leaves them nine points clear of the bottom three and six points behind fifth-placed Manchester United. A win today could catapult Roy Hodgson's 12th-placed side into the top half.

    Watford, meanwhile, recorded the shock of the season as they brought Liverpool's unbeaten run to an end in spectacular style last weekend. Nigel Pearson's side are outside the relegation places on goal difference but could move three points clear with victory.

    So, who can keep their momentum as we head into the final 10 games of the season?

  16. Pereyra replaces injured Deulofeu for Watfordpublished at 14:00 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2020

    Crystal Palace v Watford (15:00 GMT)

    Crystal Palace line-upImage source, .

    Hosts Crystal Palace name an unchanged side after last weekend's 1-0 victory over Brighton.

    Captain Luka Milivojevic is on the bench for the Eagles.

    Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Ward, Dann, Cahill, Van Aanholt, McCarthy, Zaha, Kouyate, McArthur, Ayew, Benteke

    Watford line-upImage source, .

    Watford manager Nigel Pearson is forced into one change following the Hornets stunning 3-0 win over Liverpool last weekend.

    Roberto Pereyra starts on the left of midfield in place of Gerard Deulofeu, who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament last Saturday.

    Watford XI: Foster, Femenia, Kabasele, Cathcart, Masina, Hughes, Capoue, Sarr, Doucoure, Pereyra, Deeney

  17. Welcomepublished at 13:58 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2020

    Crystal Palace v Watford (15:00 GMT)

    Hello and welcome to BBC Sport's coverage of this afternoon's Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Watford.

    I'll have the team news for you here shortly.

    After that, you can return here at 14:50 GMT for all the build-up followed by live coverage.