Watford

Image source, Rex Features

Watford manager Tom Cleverley fears Kwadwo Baah's injury sustained in the 2-1 home defeat by Preston is "significant".

The Hornets boss was scathing about his team but his problems were compounded by the loss of Baah's replacement Festy Ebosele and a knock for Imran Louza.

He told BBC Three Counties Radio: "I'm not sure of the extent of Festy and Imran but Baah looks like a significant injury. We were all on the same page that we needed to improve the squad before this game but I can say that with a bit more conviction now."

On his side's display, he said: "I keep banging on about those basics but we were just absolutely nowhere near it in the first half. They ran harder, they ran faster, they tackled harder, won every first contact and every second contact - and that's even before I start on us technically as a team.

"We are throwing games into the hands of the gods, always giving ourselves mountains to climb. It's what we are at the minute, a very inconsistent football team.

"I told the players before the game we have a great record when we go ahead so that should be extra incentive but we just don't look like a team that's willing to take that step at the minute."

Watford ended a run of four league games without a win (D1 L3) when they won 2-0 at Derby County on Saturday and are only outside the Championship play-off spots on goal difference.

The Hornets welcome a Preston North End side who have not won in three, including a goalless draw at Luton Town at the weekend, and are five points above the drop zone.

• Watford have lost one of their past seven league games against Preston (W3 D3 L1), though that defeat was the reverse fixture in October (0-3).

• Preston have failed to win any of their past seven away league games against Watford (D4 L3), since a 2-1 victory at Vicarage Road in August 2005.

• Watford have won both of their home midweek league games this season, beating Bristol City 1-0 in November and Portsmouth 2-1 in December.

• Preston have lost one of their seven midweek league games this season (W3 D3 L1), though that defeat (a 3-1 loss) came in the most recent game against West Brom on New Year's Day.

• Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom has won two of his three previous EFL meetings with Watford (W2 L1), though his only defeat came at Vicarage Road in August 2022 with Sheffield United, losing 1-0 on the opening day of the 2022-23 campaign.

Image source, Rex Features

Watford boss Tom Cleverley spoke to BBC Three Counties Radio after the Hornets beat Derby County 2-0 at Pride Park.

"It was a fantastic away performance and it's the clean sheet element that really pleases me the most.

"I thought James Abankwah came in for his debut after training for two days and was fantastic. And the whole defensive unit really deserve that today, and especially Jonathan Bond.

"I saw a team that was really willing to sacrifice for the club and for each other. It was a real top performance.

"Everyone's together, through thick and thin, through the setbacks that we have had recently. That's in the past and everyone is fighting and sacrificing together – players, staff and fans.

"We are now only one point off fifth and it's starting to look up again."

Image source, Rex Features

Watford must learn recruitment lessons from last season when their Championship promotion challenge fell away, says head coach Tom Cleverley.

The Hornets are three points short of the play-off places and, at the same stage last season, were four points behind the top six before going on to finish 15th.

"We must bring in some fresh minds as well as an injection in quality - the next two weeks is an important period for us," Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"Last season I'm sure we were in a similar position at this stage and fell away. We have to learn from that. Why did that happen?"

Watford have made one signing so far in this January transfer window with the addition of defender James Abankwah on loan from Italian Serie A club Udinese for the remainder of the season.

"Like most other clubs now, recruitment is left to another department.

"We sit down and talk about what type of team we want to be, what system we want to recruit to, what areas of that system we see we can improve the most, and we highlight some targets. I have my input, and that's taken on board, and hopefully as many of those [as possible] can be executed," added Cleverley.

Watford visit Derby County in the Championship on Saturday.

Watford take a trip to Derby County on Saturday in a bid to end their four-game winless run in the Championship. (15:00 GMT).

The Hornets secured a late equaliser in their midweek draw at Cardiff City to avoid a second loss of the week after falling to Premier League side Fulham in the FA Cup at the weekend.

Derby are on a losing streak of their own and suffered a dramatic upset against League One's Leyton Orient to see them knocked out of the cup after a thrilling penalty shootout.

• Derby have lost just three of their past 15 home league games against Watford (D4 L8), scoring 2.1 goals per game over that period.

• Watford have won each of their past three league games against Derby - as many victories as across their prior 12 meetings with the Rams combined between 2009 and 2015 (D1 L8).

• Derby have lost each of their past three league games, last losing more in a row back in May 2021 under Wayne Rooney (6).

• Only Leeds United's (2.9) and Middlesbrough's (2.7) weekend games (Fri/Sat/Sun) are averaging more goals in the Championship this season than Watford's (2.6 – 47 in 18).

• Derby County's Ebou Adams has conceded the most fouls in the Championship so far this season (48) as well as receiving the most yellow cards of any Rams player (7).

Watford travel to Cardiff on Tuesday (19:45 GMT) looking to end a run of three consecutive defeats in the Championship.

The Hornets have slipped out of the play-off spots and down to ninth - and have also won just twice away from home this season (D2 L8).

The Bluebirds are 23rd following a run of one win in their past 12 league matches (D5 L6)

• Cardiff City are unbeaten across their past four league games against Watford (W3 D1), winning each of the past two in succession. The Welsh side haven't won three in a row against the Hornets since March 2010.

• Watford are unbeaten across their past five away league games against Cardiff City (W4 D1), since a 2-1 defeat in October 2012. Across that time, the Hornets have netted 14 goals in total.

• After a run of four successive home league wins between October/November, Cardiff are winless in their past five such games (D1 L4).

• Watford have lost four of their past five league games (W1) and could lose four such games in succession outside the top flight for the first time since November 2014.

• Only Sunderland (28), Stoke City (23) and Norwich City (18) have had more goal involvements from players aged 21 and under in the Championship this season than Watford (16).

Image source, Getty Images

Watford midfielder Pierre Dwomoh is expected to be out for two months after suffering a thigh injury in Thursday's FA Cup third-round defeat by Premier League side Fulham.

The 20-year-old Belgium youth international was making just his sixth appearance for the Hornets since moving to the Championship side from Royal Antwerp last summer.

Watford boss Tom Cleverley said he is familiar with the type of injury and what it will mean for the midfielder.

"It's very similar to the one I did actually," Cleverley told the club website. "Fortunately, he's a lot younger to recover from it, and it's his left foot."

Tom Dele-Bashiru, however, should be in the squad for Tuesday's game at Cardiff City for the first time since injuring his knee in October.

Venezia goalkeeper Jesse Joronen has emerged as transfer target for Watford this month following an injury to first-choice Daniel Bachmann. (DiMarzio - in Italian), external

The Hornets have also been linked, along with Middlesbrough, with a move for Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers. (talkSPORT), external

Want more EFL transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column.

BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has made his predictions for all 32 FA Cup third round games and given his verdict on who will make it into round four.

For this week's matches he is up against actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton, who is a Liverpool fan.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Fulham boss Marco Silva left Watford under a bit of a cloud in 2018, so it will be interesting to see what sort of reception he gets from their travelling fans.

Watford had been going pretty well under Tom Cleverley but three successive defeats have halted their progress a bit.

Fulham have had a great season so far, and they have a lovely balance about the way they play.

It would be great for them to have a cup run to go with their impressive league form, and hopefully Silva will be thinking that they should have a real go at the FA Cup, because they can beat anyone on their day.

As long as they go full strength, or close enough to it, they should get through this tie. That's my thinking for most Premier League sides facing lower league sides in the third round, but of course that is not always the case.

Thornton's prediction: 2-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham have failed to win any of their past six competitive games against Watford (D3 L3), conceding 14 goals during that time.

Image source, Rex Features

Bournemouth have recalled forward Daniel Jebbison from his season-long loan with Watford.

The 21-year-old made 13 appearances in the Championship for the Hornets with just three starts and no goals.

He joined Watford on loan in August having cost Bournemouth £1.5m from Sheffield United in July.

"Jebbo's career isn't going to be defined by this tough experience for him," Watford head coach Tom Cleverley told the club's website, external.

"The loan hasn't gone as well as anyone would have wished, but that doesn't mean there needs to be any resentment left to linger."

Watford head to Fulham in the FA Cup on Thursday while Jebbison could be included in the Bournemouth squad to host West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.