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Watford and Stoke City take to the pitch for the last time in 2023 when they square off at Vicarage Road in round 25 of the EFL Championship on Friday.
Both sides head into the game off the back of contrasting Boxing Day results, with the Potters claiming a comfortable victory at Birmingham City.
Watford were left stunned on Boxing Day as they suffered a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Bristol City at Vicarage Road.
Prior to that, Valérien Ismael’s men were on a two-match winning streak, claiming successive victories over Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers respectively.
Watford have now lost eight of their 24 Championship matches while claiming nine wins and seven draws to collect 34 points and sit 10th in the table, level on points with Cardiff City and Norwich City.
Stoke City, on the other hand, gained some respite on Tuesday when they picked up a much-needed 3-1 victory over Birmingham City.
Steven Schumacher’s side had failed to win their previous nine matches, losing four and claiming five draws since claiming three straight victories in October.
With 27 points from 24 matches, the Potters are currently 18th in the league standings, level on points with Birmingham City and seven points above the relegation zone.
Watford vs Stoke City Head-To-Head and Key Numbers
- With 18 wins from the last 42 meetings between the sides, Watford hold a slight upper hand in the history of this fixture.
- Stoke City have picked up one fewer wins in that time, while the spoils have been shared on seven occasions.
- The Hornets have failed to win their last three home games, losing twice and claiming one draw since the start of December.
- Stoke City are unbeaten in their last four matches, picking up three draws and one win since losing a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday on December 9.
Watford vs Stoke City Prediction
The last six meetings between Watford and Stoke have produced a combined 19 goals and we anticipate another end-to-end affair at Vicarage Road.
While the Hornets have suffered a drop-off in form of late, they boast the firepower needed to turn things around and we fancy them claiming all three points in this one.
Prediction: Watford 2-1 Stoke City
Watford vs Stoke City Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Watford to win
Tip 2: Over 2.5 goals - Yes (There have been three or more goals scored in six of Watford’s last seven games)
Tip 3: Both sides to score - Yes (Both sides have also scored in the Hornets' last seven matches)
