West Brom v Watford preview: Team news, lineups, supercomputer prediction
West Brom are back in Championship action when Tony Mowbray’s men host Watford at The Hawthorns on Saturday.
The Baggies sit eighth in the table and are now five points adrift of the playoff spots, while sixth place is occupied by Coventry.
West Brom’s top-six hopes took yet another dent on Tuesday when they suffered a 2-1 defeat at Bristol City, who now sit fifth.
Mowbray’s men looked on course to pick up a point in the West Country, but Haydon Roberts snatched all three points for the Robins on 96 minutes.
West Brom v Watford preview
Tuesday’s defeat at Bristol City marked the Baggies’ third consecutive loss in the Championship, after they were also beaten by Norwich and Sunderland.
Albion now have just five games remaining with a five-point gap between themselves and the top-six, so finishing in the playoffs now seems unlikely for Mowbray and Co.
| Championship table (6th-10th) | Games played | Goal difference | Points |
| 6 Coventry | 41 | 5 | 62 |
| 7 Middlesbrough | 41 | 11 | 60 |
| 8 West Brom | 41 | 11 | 57 |
| 9 Millwall | 41 | -1 | 57 |
| 10 Watford | 41 | -4 | 56 |
Meanwhile, Watford sit just one point and two places below West Brom in the Championship table despite beating Hull 1-0 on Tuesday.
Last time out against the Hornets, the Baggies suffered a 2-1 defeat at Vicarage Road in December, as Vakoun Bayo scored a brace for Tom Cleverley’s men.
West Brom v Watford team news
Semi Ajayi, Josh Maja, and Jed Wallace all missed out on Albion’s trip to Bristol City amid injury concerns, while key defender Torbjorn Heggem was also absent but should be back in time for Saturday.
Meanwhile, Jayson Molumby was sent off at Ashton Gate and could be suspended for Mowbray’s men, although the Baggies have appealed against the red card.
Watford are set to be without the services of defender Yasser Larouci, thanks to a groin strain, and star midfielder Giorgi Chakvetadze, courtesy of a stress fracture.
West Brom v Watford predicted lineups
West Brom – Griffiths, Furlong, Bartley, Heggem, Styles, Fellows, Diakite, Mowatt, Diangana, Dike, Armstrong
Watford – Selvik, Ngakia, Pollock, Sierralta, Wiley, Louza, Dele-Bashiru, Sissoko, Kayembe, Vata, Bayo
Championship form guide
West Brom – DDLLL
Watford – WLDLW
West Brom v Watford supercomputer prediction
Opta’s Supercomputer has handed the Baggies a 53.8 per cent chance of beating Watford, while the Hornets’ chances of a win stand at just 22.5 per cent, and there is a 23.7 per cent probability of a draw.