PREVIEW: WATFORD V BURNLEY (2022)

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Clarets take on the Hornets at Vicarage Road

2022-04-29T17:51:52.026Z

PREVIEW: WATFORD V BURNLEY (2022)

Clarets take on the Hornets at Vicarage Road

2022-04-29T17:51:52.026Z

Ticket details for our game at Vicarage Road

Burnley travel to Watford on Saturday, with U23s manager Mike Jackson acting as interim manager with Burnley in 17th place with five games left.

Jackson said: “At this moment in time, we are going to go one game at a time. We think that is the best way at the moment. We want to go one game at a time because it suits the way things are going.”

"My total focus has been getting the team ready and trying to improve them."

"You look at Roy Hodgson's career, what he's done, and where he's coached, it's unbelievable," said Jackson.

"He's worked abroad, he's managed England, he's managed Liverpool...this is a top end guy who's got the utmost respect from me, from where I am looking at him over the years.

"I expect nothing more than what Roy Hodgson would bring, not just as a manager, but as a person."

Jackson looks ahead to final game of the season

Form

Burnley defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 at Turf Moor last Sunday with former Hornets striker Matej Vydra scoring the all-important goal. That win took the Clarets out of the Premier League relegation zone.

Watford’s last Premier League home win was a 4-1 success against Manchester United back in November. They are nine points behind Burnley with five games left.

Nigerian international Emmanuel Dennis is Watford’s top scorer with ten this campaign.

Opposition guide

Roy Hodgson is Watford’s third manager this season. Ex-Real Betis player Xisco took them to promotion last season from the Championship before being replaced by Premier League winning boss Claudio Ranieri before Hodgson joined the Hornets in January.

Watford are Hodgson 17th club side. On the international scene, he has managed England, Switzerland, Finland and the United Arab Emirates.

Former Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Moussa Sissoko is the Watford captain and he believes Saturday’s game could decide Watford’s season.

Sissoko said: “Our season will be more or less on that game, we need to beat them otherwise I think it could be over. We go home with sadness, every time you lose it is painful, but we’re focused on Burnley.

“We are still in with a chance to stay up. Maybe it’s not a massive percentage, but it’s still there. Let’s try our best until the end and we will see what we can do.

“If we stay up it will be amazing, it’s going to be a big achievement, but we have to take it game-by-game. The next one is a final and we need to win, no matter what.”

Match stats

It will be Burnley’s 300th Premier League game. The Wolves win was their 82nd in the competition. Likewise, it is also Watford’s 300th game in the competition.

Burnley midfielder Jack Cork played for Watford on loan earlier in his career. He scored for Burnley in a 2-1 win at Vicarage Road four years ago.

Matej Vydra played 95 games for Watford scoring 38 goals before moving to Derby County in 2016. He turns 30 on Sunday.

Nathan Collins is in his first season in the Premier League. He turns 21 on matchday.

Burnley have won five of the nine Premier League games between the two sides.

Referee

Craig Pawson

VAR

Stuart Attwell

Kick off

Saturday 30th April (3pm)

Broadcast

There will be live audio commentary with Phil Bird on Clarets+