Watford v Palace

Vicarage Road, Sunday 1.30pm

Joel Ward

Team news

Crystal Palace will be without the suspended Aaron Wan-Bissaka after the right back was sent off for a professional foul against Liverpool last time out. Joel Ward is set to come into that position he knows well.

Eagles manager Roy Hodgson has hinted that new signings Max Meyer, Jordan Ayew and Cheikhou Kouyate are in contention to start against the Hornets as Palace look to bounce back from the Liverpool defeat.

Left back Pape Souare is doubtful of making the squad after picking up a knock in training, while striker Connor Wickham (knee) continues his recovery to fitness.

Watford have no fresh injury worries with Stefano Okaka, Tom Cleverley, Nathaniel Chalobah and Gerard Deulofeu still sidelined.

Quotes

Roy Hodgson

"I expect a tough game, a competitive game and a team that is as anxious as we are to do well. Their start has been excellent, it couldn't be better to take six points from two games, and they have to be delighted.

"The league is about points and getting them early on, they have to be cock-a-hoop. We are aware that we are going go to a ground that it always problematic, and you know you will get a tough game, as they will do everything they can to make it difficult for you.

"We did quite well I thought in stopping Liverpool for large periods and they are pretty renowned for their firepower, so the shape of the team and the quality and the effort that we put into our defending, I hope will serve us in good stead against a Watford team with firepower and threats.

"Luckily, we have threats of our own and I am sure it will be a competitive, hard-fought game, with an element of a derby about it, even though we are not on top of each other in terms of where our grounds are. Both sets of fans will be desperate to see them win, so everything is set for a good game."

Javi Gracia

"Our plans are always different because you do not play alone and you always play against another team. You need to adapt to different things and we did that against Burnley. We are going to play against a Palace side with two good strikers who play on the counter attack.

"You have to adapt to different things like we did in the other games we played. It is no different to any other game.

"It is always important to start well, but we have played only two games and they are only two important wins. It is only the beginning and in this moment it is a good one for us. We need to keep calm and know bad results will arrive in the future.

"We need to create something we can believe in in the future. It is not only about the result but we need to build something."

The game will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event and you can watch it with a Now TV day pass for £7.99.

Watford - league stats

Position	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
4th	2	2	0	0	6

Full league table

Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
21/04/2018	League	Watford	0 - 0	Crystal Palace
12/12/2017	League	Crystal Palace	2 - 1	Watford
18/03/2017	League	Crystal Palace	1 - 0	Watford
26/12/2016	League	Watford	1 - 1	Crystal Palace
24/04/2016	FA Cup	Crystal Palace	2 - 1	Watford

All time results

Last meeting

Watford 0-0 Palace

Saturday April 21 2018

Watford: Karnezis, Mariappa, Cathcart, Kabasele, Holebas, Hughes (Gray, 79), Doucouré, Capoue, Pereyra (Richarlison, 55), Deeney, Okaka (Femenía, 70)

Subs not used: Gomes, Janmaat, Britos, Sinclair

Bookings: Mariappa, Cathcart, Doucouré

Palace: Hennessey, Ward, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt, McArthur (Benteke, 81), Milivojevic, Cabaye, Loftus-Cheek, Townsend, Zaha

Subs not used: Speroni, Sørloth, Lee, Wan-Bissaka, Kelly, Riedewald

Bookings: Ward, Tomkins, van Aanholt, Loftus-Cheek, Zaha