On the back of one of the most shocking defeats in Chelsea’s recent history against Bournemouth on Wednesday, Antonio Conte’s men have the chance to right some wrongs at Vicarage Road on Monday night. They meet a Watford side desperately in need of a positive result after 1 win in their last 12 Premier League games.
Team News
Alvaro Morata remains sidelined with a back injury so expect to see new signing Olivier Giroud leading the line from the start if he is fit enough.
Andreas Christensen’s hamstring injury isn’t as bad as it was first feared but he will have to sit this one out while David Luiz and Willian could return from knocks.
New Watford manager, Javi Gracia, will be without his first-choice goalkeeper in Heurelho Gomes for this clash through a back injury.
He is also without Younes Kaboul, Miguel Britos, Kiko Femenia, Craig Cathcart, Will Hughes and former Blue Nathanial Chalobah who are all out injured.
Probable Watford XI (4-3-3): Karnezis; Janmaat, Prodl, Kabasele, Holebas; Doucoure, Capoue, Cleverley; Deulofeu, Gray, Richarlison.
Probable Chelsea XI (3-5-2): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Rudiger; Moses, Fabregas, Kante, Bakayoko, Alonso; Hazard, Giroud.
Key Battles
If Olivier Giroud is passed fit, Antonio Conte can rely on his striker to hold the ball up and bring others into play. The Frenchman will go up against Sebastian Prodl and Christian Kabasele who are physical players themselves so it’ll be a good chance for Giroud to impress his new manager.
Giroud’s hold-up play can bring Eden Hazard into play further up the field so don’t be surprised to see the Belgian right up alongside his striker in order to link up with him. Etienne Capoue will have to be aware of the Belgian’s tendency to find space in order to stop any damage he might cause.
In the return fixture at Stamford Bridge earlier this season, Watford’s Brazilian forward Richarlison caused all sorts of problems for the Chelsea defence and should’ve had at least two goals that day. His pace, close control and physicality will be threatening but I’m sure Cesar Azpilicueta will be able to deal with that.
Chelsea’s record vs Watford
The Blues have won under half of the league meetings between the two sides and haven’t lost to the Hornets since 1999 when Allan’s Smart scored the only goal of the game to give newly-promoted Watford the victory at Vicarage Road.
13 goals have been scored in the last two meetings between the team sides with Chelsea coming out on top by 4-3 and then 4-2 score lines. Michy Batshuayi inspired a late comeback against the Hornets last time out when his brace helped Chelsea come from behind at Stamford Bridge.
Cesar Azpilicueta has two goals in his last two games against Monday’s opponents and that makes up just under a third of his tally for the club.
After the debacle against Bournemouth in midweek, a win against Watford is the perfect way to bounce back and put the Blues back into a more stable position within the top 4. A loss at Vicarage Road and a Tottenham win at Anfield on Sunday would mean that Chelsea would drop out of the top 4 for the first time since October when a win against Watford back then took them into the Champions League spaces.
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