'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chelsea will be vying to get back to winning ways after their humbling 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge to Leicester City last time out. On Boxing Day, Maurizio Sarri's troops travel to Vicarage Road to face-off against Watford.
The venue might not be the ideal hunting ground for the Blues, who have won just twice in their last five visits there and were torn apart in the same fixture last season 4-1. The Hornets meanwhile, are up to 7th place after their convincing 2-0 victory against West Ham three days back.
Will Watford record back-to-back wins against Chelsea for the first time since April 1987, or will Eden Hazard and co. continue their charge in the race for the top 4? Here's all you need to know ahead of the game.
Watford v Chelsea: Kickoff information
Date: 26 December 2018
Time: 19:30 (local time), 01:00 (IST)
Venue: Vicarage Road
Livestream: Live stream on Hotstar
Watford v Chelsea: Team news
Watford:
Will Hughes, Andre Gray, Sebastian Prodl and Adalberto Penaranda are sidelined due to injury, but there are no fresh concerns for Javi Gracia. We can however, expect a few changes as part of rotation.
Chelsea:
Andreas Christensen is out due to a hamstring injury, while Alvaro Morata is expected to start from the bench.
The likes of Ross Barkley and Olivier Giroud should start, which would leave Mateo Kovacic and either of Willian or Pedro on the bench.
Watford v Chelsea: Probable line-ups
Watford (4-2-2-2): Foster; Femenia, Kabasele, Cathcart, Holebas; Capoue, Doucoure; Sema, Pereyra; Deulofeu, Deeney
Chelsea (4-3-3): Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Emerson; Kante, Jorginho, Barkley; Pedro, Giroud, Hazard
Watford v Chelsea: Form guide
Last 5 matches (in all competitions)
Watford: W-W-D-L-L
Chelsea: L-W-W-D-W
Watford v Chelsea: Head-to-head
Watford wins: 10
Chelsea wins: 17
Draws: 6
Watford v Chelsea: Prediction
Recent meetings between these two sides have seen a lot of goals, and we expect a cracker of a contest this time as well. Sarri's reluctance to tinker with his backline will mean that there might be a few tired legs. Chelsea though, should get over the line.
Predicted score: Watford 2-4 Chelsea
