Swansea City vs Watford
Date: 23/09/17
K.O: 15:00pm
Swansea City welcome Watford this Saturday afternoon to the Liberty Stadium.
The Swans grounded out a gutsy draw away to Tottenham last week, and will be hoping to build on a solid defensive performance again this week against the Hornets. The visitors will be the fresher of the two sides as Swansea were in midweek Carabao Cup action. Paul Clement’s side were 2-0 winners at Reading.
Alfie Mawson and substitute Jordan Ayew scored the goals, while Bayern Munich loanee Renato Sanches bagged his first assist for the club. The win comes on the back of last weekend’s hugely encouraging draw against Spurs. Swansea kept a clean sheet in a 0-0 stalemate at Wembley. Watford suffered the biggest defeat of the season so far, losing 6-0 at home to Manchester City last weekend. Swansea will need to be wary of Watford’s away form, however.
Marco Silva’s side have recorded 2-0 wins in both of their only two away matches this season. To combat Swanseas attacking woes, Paul Clement will likely give Wilfried Bony the chance to make his first Premier League start since rejoining the Swans in the summer. Swans fan favourite Leon Britton comes back into contention after missing the draw at Spurs with a lower back problem. Saturday will come too soon for Nathan Dyer. The winger has made a return to training following an Achilles injury but is not yet up to speed.
In team news for the Hornets, Miguel Britos will serve the last of a three-match suspension following his red card against Brighton. Kiko Femenia is available again after missing out last weekend with a head injury. Younes Kaboul will miss out once again with a thigh injury, but Sebastian Prodl could make a return and will face a late fitness test.
Craig Cathcart will be out until at least January, while Tommie Hoban is another long-term absentee. Both teams come in to this game with something to prove. Marco Silva’s men will want to dispel any woes left over from last week mauling at the hands of a rampant Manchester City side.
Paul Clements men on the other hand desperately need goals, and have also had the joint fewest shots on target in the league this year with a measly 7. Clement must be thinking about playing both Bony and Abraham up top to see if they can form a partnership.
Predicted lineups:
SWA Starting XI: Fabianski, Olsson, Mawson, Van der Hoorn, Fernandez, Naughton, Sanchez, Clucas, Carroll, Bony, Ayew
WAT Starting XI: Gomes, Holebas, Janmaat, Kabasele, Mariappa, Doucoure, Chalobah, Cleverly, Gray, Carillo, Richarlison
Score prediction: 1-1
Both teams come into the game with some indifferent form. I see this being a boring draw in South Wales. Swansea’s lacklustre attack will continue to struggle but Watford won’t shake off last weeks defeat easily, making it a fairly cagey affair for both sides.
Written by Gafyn Donald.
