Beppe Sannino will be hoping his side can please the sell out away crowd as Watford travel the short journey to Loftus Road today.
Fourth placed QPR are in poor form coming into the match, having won just one of their last five games, drawing one and losing three.
Their home form, however, is slightly more consistent, with the Hoops having lost only one of their last ten at Loftus Road, winning six and drawing three.
Though QPR have kept the most clean sheets of any side in the Championship this season – 17 – they have conceded in each of their last five games.
The Hornets are now unbeaten in six, winning three. Their away form however leaves a lot to be desired, having only won once since October 5, a 4-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday.
Sannino’s men have a game in hand on most of the other teams around them, and there is still the possibility that they will make the playoffs.
With three of Watford’s final four games coming away from Vicarage Road, the Golden Boys will need to start winning on the road if they are to make up the five points necessary to make sixth place theirs.
Vital Quotes:
Beppe Sannino, following Saturday’s victory against Ipswich:
“We can still dream but the only way we can dream of reaching the top six is to get points in every game we play this season.’
Sannino, ahead of today’s game:
The Hornets are five points below the top six, with a game in hand, heading into this afternoon`s contest with QPR, who are nine points above seventh-placed Reading.
“I think it will be a very good game because QPR are comfortably in the playoffs but still have to win the game.
“And because we want to go into the playoffs, I think it will be a good game. And I hope there will be goals.
“The only way to still dream is to get points everywhere so it is a massive game for us.’
Albert Riera:
“We still believe, we still have a chance and the results from [Friday] were good, and [Saturday] also a few ones were good for us, so we still have to believe.
“We have a game in hand and we believe. We were talking before the game and we were saying that we have to believe and go on until the end.”
Harry Redknapp:
“Hopefully we`ll have a number of players back for Monday – including Charlie Austin, Clint Hill and Joey Barton. Kevin Doyle should be available, as well.
“We just want to get ready for the playoffs now. We need one more result to ensure we`re in them.
“If that`s where we are [the playoffs], it`s going to be an exciting end to the season.”
Queens Park Rangers Team News:
QPR will be without full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto, as he was sent off at Leicester on Saturday.
Clint Hill (ankle), Joey Barton (thigh) and Kevin Doyle (knee) could be available after spells on the sidelines, but Jermaine Jenas (hamstring) will not feature.
Player to watch: Ravel Morrsion
Ravel Morrison is the type of player that can drift into positions between the opposition midfield and defence, and when he is on the ball he can beat players with ease.
If Morrison is on form, Watford will have to focus a lot of the defence on him, as he could run the game if he is not kept quiet.
QPR have several players however that could be the difference today – their squad is full of talent recently plying their trade in the Premiership.
Watford Team News:
Ikechi Anya and Fernando Forestieri may miss out again following Achilles and toe injuries respectively.
Marco Cassetti may return to the squad today following his two match ban for ten yellow cards.
Park Chu-Young remains sidelined with cellulitis affecting his toe. The South Korean is in Seoul receiving treatment and may not play for Watford again.
Combative central midfielder Samba Diakite is ineligible to face his parent club, and so will not feature.
Player to watch: Troy Deeney
As Fernando Forestieri and Ikechi Anya are doubts, there is potentially very little outright pace in the squad for today’s game. As such, players like Troy Deeney will have to make their strengths count if the Hornets are to get all three points.
Deeney has been in excellent form of late, but was a little quieter in Watford’s 3-1 win over Ipswich Town on Saturday. He will be looking to get on the scoresheet again today, and if he finds himself playing like he did against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough a few weeks ago, there is no doubt Watford have a good chance of registering just their second win away from home since October of last year.
Match Prediction
If QPR are kept quiet in the early stages, their recent form may cause their fans to get restless.
With Watford needing to win this game to keep any hope of sixth alive, I can see the Hornets being really up for this, and so I believe our recent away form and QPR’s home form may go out the window.
This fixture always seems to throw up interesting goings on, and Watford have a fairly decent record at Loftus Road. I can’t see the game finishing goalless as it did in the reverse fixture at Vicarage Road.
As with last Saturday, I can’t go with my head, I have to go with my heart at this point in the season. If we keep the home fans quiet and snatch a lead, I can see us getting all three points.
What’s more, I think if we do win, it’ll be by a couple of goals, as we will surely go all out for victory.
I’m going to go with a rampant Deeney scoring a brace in a 3-1 Watford win.
It wouldn’t be fun if we didn’t believe…
Next Fixtures:
26/04/14: Derby (A) 15:00
29/04/14: Charton (A) 19:45
03/05/14: Huddersfield (H) 12:15
