WATFORD vs MANCHESTER UNITED
- Manchester United have won 16 of the past 17 meetings against Watford in all competitions
- Watford have nine points from 17 matches – no club has avoided relegation from the PL with so few points at this stage of the season
- Marcus Rashford has been directly involved in nine goals in his last nine Premier League matches
- The Red Devils have lost just one of their last nine away matches against sides starting the day bottom
Watford XI: Foster, Mariappa, Kabasele, Cathcart, Femenia, Capoue Hughes, Sarr, Doucoure, Deulofeu, Deeney.
Manchester United XI: De Gea, Wan Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw McTominay, Fred, James, Lingard, Rashford, Martial.
Starting XI
And the team news arrives. Watford unchanged while Manchester United star Paul Pogba starts on the bench.
Watford XI: Foster, Mariappa, Kabasele, Cathcart, Femenia, Capoue Hughes, Sarr, Doucoure, Deulofeu, Deeney.
Subs: Gomes, Dawson Masina, Chalobah, Gray, Success, Pereyra.
Manchester United XI: De Gea, Wan Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw McTominay, Fred, James, Lingard, Rashford, Martial.
Subs: Pogba Mata, Andreas Pereira, Young, Romero, Greenwood, Matic.
Baptism of fire
Nigel Pearson’s baptism of fire as Watford boss continues with in-form Manchester United’s visit to Vicarage Road.
Pearson, who became the bottom club’s third manager of the season on December 6, saw his new side defeated at unbeaten Liverpool last weekend.
He now has two opportunities – starting against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side – to prevent the Hornets going into 2020 without a league win on home soil and bring some much-needed festive cheer to the club’s success-starved home supporters.
The task is far from straightforward. United travel to Hertfordshire six top-flight games unbeaten and with a top-four place firmly in their sights.
WATFORD vs MANCHESTER UNITED
Manchester United have named Paul Pogba in their squad for today’s Premier League showdown with Watford. The France international has been missing since the 1-1 draw with Arsenal at the end of September.
Diogo Dalot was due to play for United’s youth side as the full-back builds fitness, while Eric Bailly and Timothy Fosu-Mensah were due to start full training this week. Marcos Rojo is also continuing to build his fitness.
Watford manager Nigel Pearson expects to have defender Adam Masina and creative midfielder Roberto Pereyra available after they missed the loss to Liverpool with minor injury problems.
Left-back Jose Holebas (ankle) is out along Tom Cleverley (heel), Danny Welbeck (hamstring), Sebastian Prodl, and Daryl Janmaat (both knee).
Last season: Man Utd 2 Watford 1, Watford 1 Man Utd 2
Top scorers: Ismaila Sarr, Roberto Pereyra, Gerard Deulofeu and Andre Gray (Watford) 2; Marcus Rashford (Man Utd) 14
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)