The Watford & Blackburn Rovers head coaches Bilić and Tomasson are both fearful of and eagerly anticipating this important fixture in the higher regions of the Championship standings.
- Watford have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
- Blackburn Rovers have the fewest conceded goals in the first half (9) in Championship
There should be plenty of energy on the pitch in this game, as both sides have had time to recuperate from their last game. Let's hope both teams are ready to give it all.
Watford form and stats
When playing at home in the Championship, Watford have managed 7 wins, 3 draws and suffered 4 defeats from 14 games.
The Watford manager Bilić and his crew return home after a 2-2 draw away versus Reading (placed 16th). Opportunity lost for Watford in the Reading match as a lead 2-0 was lost and what looked like a victory ended in a draw. Midfield player Sarr got a match rating of 7.14 in that game, the max score being 10. Sarr scored one goal.
Prior to that was the away defeat visiting Middlesbrough (0-2).The hosts are modest favourites in this match, with the bookmakers estimating the chance of a home win at about 50% +- five percent. It's interesting to look at how Watford have performed under similar circumstances, so here are some numbers: When modest favourites like this (we found 11 games) they have won 3 times, drawn 2 and lost 6.
It should be added that a glance at the 12 most recent league fixtures shows that 10 of them qualified as a both teams not to score result (only one or none of the teams scored).
There will be little rest for Watford after this match as they are travelling to Burnley for a Championship game in only three days.
Watford has scored 20 league goals at home this season, in 14 matches. Watford have only conceded 13 from their league home games. For more goal stats, check the Statistics tab above.
Blackburn Rovers form and stats
The story so far for the visiting team on their Championship travels is 5 wins, 1 draw and 9 defeats.
Blackburn Rovers's last game was the home draw against Wigan Athletic (0-0). Travis got a match rating of 7.85 in that game, top player of the team. Travis hit one key pass, dribled past the opponent 1 of 2 times and had 38 successful passes (of 46 total).
Previously, the FA Cup win away at Birmingham City (after extra-time). Blackburn are the outsiders in this one, but not by much. Their performance in similar games (being the away team and moderate outsiders) is 3 wins, 1 draw and 3 defeats. From a total of 7 matches.
The schedule is very tough for Blackburn Rovers now as they have to travel again shortly after this match. A Championship game at West Bromwich Albion is waiting in only four days.
The attacking power of Blackburn Rovers when travelling is not overwhelming with 11 goals scored from 15 league matches away. 22 goals have been conceded by Blackburn Rovers in these games.
Head 2 Head
This duo played each other before this season: Blackburn Rovers - Watford 2-0. Head-to-head data (for the preceeding ten meetings): Watford won four games, two matches ended with a draw and Blackburn Rovers have four wins. Over 2,5 goals / under 2,5 goals: six / four.
Top Goalscorers
  B. Brereton 9 goals |   J. Junqueira de Jesus 8 goals |  I. Sarr 8 goals |
Watford missing players
Blackburn Rovers missing players
| Watford | Blackburn Rovers | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 30 | 14 | 5 | Played | P | 4 | 15 | 29 |
| 12 | 7 | 4 | Won | W | 1 | 5 | 14 |
| 9 | 3 | 0 | Drew | D | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | 4 | 1 | Lost | L | 3 | 9 | 13 |
| 36 | 20 | 8 | Scored | S | 2 | 11 | 31 |
| 33 | 13 | 3 | Conceded | C | 9 | 22 | 35 |
| 90% | 93% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | 97% |
| 73% | 71% | 60% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 100% | 67% | 66% |
| 40% | 43% | 40% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 75% | 47% | 48% |
| 23% | 21% | 20% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 7% | 10% |
| 3% | 7% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 0% | 7% |
| 40% | 43% | 20% | BTTS | BTTS | 25% | 20% | 31% |
| 40% | 43% | 60% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 27% | 38% |
| 30% | 21% | 20% | Failed to Score | F T | 75% | 53% | 34% |
| 5 | 4.9 | 4 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 3.5 | 2.9 | 3.9 |
| 5.5 | 5.1 | 5.4 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 7.8 | 6 | 5.6 |
| 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.4 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.1 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 11.7 | 12.1 | 10.2 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 6.2 | 7.4 | 9.2 |
| 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.8 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 1.5 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
| 31% | 33% | 42% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 33% | 30% | 34% |
| 12 | 11.5 | 14 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 17 | 13.3 | 12.1 |
| 4 | 3.9 | 4.8 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 7.5 | 4.5 | 4 |
- Blackburn Rovers have conceded at least twice as many corners as they have won away.
- Blackburn Rovers have the fewest conceded goals in the first half (9) in Championship
- Blackburn Rovers have won significantly less corners away then at home.
- Blackburn Rovers haven’t played a single 0-0 game away.
- Watford have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Burnley | 29 | 19 | 8 | 2 | 58 | 26 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 32 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 26 | 14 | 32 | 65 |
| 2 | Sheffield United | 29 | 17 | 7 | 5 | 48 | 24 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 30 | 13 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 11 | 24 | 58 |
| 3 | Middlesbrough | 30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 47 | 35 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 12 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 24 | 23 | 12 | 48 |
| 4 | Luton Town | 29 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 37 | 29 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 48 |
| 5 | Watford | 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 36 | 33 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 13 | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 20 | 3 | 45 |
| 6 | West Bromwich Albion | 29 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 39 | 30 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 18 | 16 | 9 | 44 |
| 7 | Blackburn Rovers | 29 | 14 | 2 | 13 | 31 | 35 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 13 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 22 | -4 | 44 |
| 8 | Millwall | 28 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 34 | 28 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 9 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 6 | 43 |
| 9 | Sunderland | 29 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 42 | 33 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 23 | 17 | 9 | 42 |
| 10 | Norwich City | 29 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 40 | 34 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 19 | 19 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 42 |
| 11 | Preston North End | 29 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 27 | 33 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 13 | -6 | 40 |
| 12 | Hull City | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 37 | 44 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 23 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 21 | -7 | 40 |
| 13 | Swansea City | 29 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 43 | 42 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 20 | 22 | 1 | 39 |
| 14 | Queens Park Rangers | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 32 | 38 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 20 | -6 | 39 |
| 15 | Coventry City | 29 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 31 | 32 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 18 | -1 | 38 |
| 16 | Reading | 29 | 11 | 5 | 13 | 33 | 44 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 22 | 16 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 28 | -11 | 38 |
| 17 | Bristol City | 29 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 39 | 39 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 22 | 0 | 36 |
| 18 | Birmingham City | 29 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 34 | 38 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 20 | -4 | 35 |
| 19 | Stoke City | 29 | 9 | 6 | 14 | 33 | 38 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 20 | -5 | 33 |
| 20 | Rotherham United | 29 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 33 | 40 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 17 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 23 | -7 | 32 |
| 21 | Cardiff City | 30 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 21 | 33 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 20 | -12 | 29 |
| 22 | Huddersfield Town | 28 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 26 | 36 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 21 | -10 | 27 |
| 23 | Blackpool | 28 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 28 | 43 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 19 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 24 | -15 | 26 |
| 24 | Wigan Athletic | 29 | 6 | 8 | 15 | 27 | 49 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 30 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 19 | -22 | 26 |
- Watford
- Watford Observer - (local newspaper)
- Blackburn Rovers
- Lancashire Telegraph - (local newspaper)
