Battle between clubs on wrong side of table to avoid relegation is heating up. Like I thought West Ham won Southampton, but surprise of the week was Watford 3:0 win against Champion of Europe. Aston Villa, Bounemouth, Watford, West Ham, Brighton are ali in big relegation game while Newcastle could fall into trouble if they continue wining less row until end of season.
In one part of ring is "Many face God" with fresh extended contract with Palace, while in other is my favorite manager and after winning over Klop's Liverpool new football Deity Nigel Pearson. First one needs just few points to secure staying in Premier League while last one has a lot to work to stay above fires of Hell from Championship.
Ladies and Getlemen welcome to Crystal Palace - Watford match preview.
Crystal Palace
Roy Hogdhson is one of my favorite managers in Premier League. It's because he is domestic and old school football manager. What I like the most with him are faces he is making during the game. When his lads concede goal especially near the end he becomes very angry and starts to complain to rest of coaching staff in passionate way, while when his club scores he makes face like he is inside heaven. That's why I call him "Many face God" from Game of Thrones. :) Very passionate manager despite his age. He is also doctor for Pep Guardiola which is one more reason why I like him.
His side is playing hot-cold this year, they are 12th with 36 points on the table with 9-9-10 and 25 goals scored and 32 conceded. They play in same manner at home and away which is not allowing other side a lot of chances. Palace won last two games with 1:0. Recent victims of "Many faced God" were Newcastle and Brighton. Those two wins helped them to jump in mid table safety with only few points more needed to secure survival in Premier League. Games after Watford will be against Bourenmouth, Liverpool, Burnley and Leicester.
Watford
Hornets are in 17th place with 6-9-13, 27 goals scored and 43 conceded. Nigel Pearson's boys showed some tricks to Champion of Europe Liverpool and won them 3:0. They didn't only demolished Liverpool but used Klopp's World Champion to improve goal difference. Sarr was great in that game just like T. Deeny. However they are not so good in away games with only 2 wins. I think they have potential and don't deserve to get relegated. They have also excellent manager (also from England). However schedule until the end is not so good to them because they have serious clubs to play. Next games after Crystal Palace will be against Leicester, Burnley, Southampton and Chelsea. They should secure staying in league before last two games against Arsenal and Manchester City.
Form
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace is 11th on form table with 7 points and 2-1-3, 5 goals scored and 8 conceded. Last six games were:
18.01.2020. Manchester City - Crystal Palace 2:2 (0:1)
21.01.2020. Crystal Palace - Southampton 0:2 (0:1)
01.02.2020. Crystal Palace - Sheffield United 0:1(0:0)
08.02.2020. Everton - Crystal Palace 3:1 (1:0)
22.02.2020. Crystal Palace - Newcastle 1:0 (1:0)
29.02.2020. Brighton - Crystal Palace 0:1 (0:0)
Not easy opponents, when easier came they started winning.
Watford
Watford is on 17th place of form table with 5 points 1-2-3, 7 goals scored and 9 conceded. Their last 6 Premier League games were:
18.01.2020. Watford - Tottenham 0:0
21.02.2020. Aston Vila - Watford 2:1 (0:1)
01.02.2020. Watford - Everton 2:3 (2:2)
08.02.2020. Brighton - Watford 1:1 (0:1)
23.02.2020. Manchester United - Watford 3:0 (1:0)
29.02.2020. Watford - Liverpool 3:0 (0:0)
Few unfortunate last minute loses against Aston Villa and Everton, missed penalty against Spurs before that, big loss against United and big win against Liverpool.
Head to head
17.02.2019. Watford - Crystal Palace 0:0
16.03.2019. Watford - Crystal Palace 2:1
12.01.2019. Crystal Palace - Watford 1:2
26.08.2018. Watford - Crystal Palace 2:1
21.04.2018. Watford - Crystal Palace 0:0
12.12.2017. Crystal Palace - Watford 2:1
18.03.2017. Crystal Palace - Watford 1:0
26.12.2016. Watford - Crystal Palace 0:0
24.04.2016. Crystal Palace - Watford 2:1
Since 2000 it's 15-10-13, 53:45 for Palace in sum, while at Selhurst Park it's 9-2-7 24:20 for Palace. 2016 and 2017 were Palace's years and 2018 and 2019 belongs to Watford. Dominating results were 2:1 or 0:0 .
Sidelined players
Crystal Palace will be without help of Cenk Tosun, James McCarthy and probably James Tomkins.
Watford will be without Gerard Deulofeu (one of key players Knee injury didn't play against Liverpool too), Daryl Janmaat (also important player also Knee injury he is back in training but under question mark), Sebastian Prödl (also Knee injury). We now know what N. Pearson is doing in dressing room when he is not satisfied with performance. :) LoL
Conclusion
In bitter relegation fight every point counts and main target is 40 points. Palace is almost already there, while Watford need to collect a lot of points if they want to stay in top league. Pearson's boys gained morale and confidence boost after winning Liverpool just like Hodgson's after Newcastle and Brighton. However I found Hornets have bigger motive here. The most recent tradition gives them advantage too. Away side will miss Janmat and Deulofeu a lot, but Sarr and T. Deenny could make some damage to Palace.
With all respect to "Many faced God" I think Kloppslayer N. Pearson will celebrate victory here. There can be only one football God after this game and that is going to be football Deity from Watford.
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This article has been written for scorum loyalty program here: https://scorum.com/en-us/betting/@scr.predictions/scorum-loyalty-program-now-not-only-for-tipsters
Contest
Feel free to write your opinion about this game with correct score and first goal scorer (in case you don't think it will end 0:0, if so just predict 0:0 ).
Rules:
1.If anyone guess correct score and first scorer right he'll get full upvote from me.
2. In case no one correct predict goal scorer, but someone guess right full time result he's the winner.
3. In case of multiple winners vote will be shared between them.
4. I'll upvote each comment with 10%, you can enter predictions until 07.03.2020 15:55 CET (5 minutes before game starts).
I think this game will end in Watford victory 1:2 and Sarr will score first.
Thanks for reading and bzzzzzzz...
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