WATFORD return to the Vic` looking to build on improved showings at Burnley and Leeds United last week whilst ending a run of four consecutive home defeats as they host managerless Sheffield Wednesday.
Two hard-earned draws at Turf Moor and Elland Road were a good base to build from for Gianfranco Zola`s Hornets and with second-bottom Sheffield Wednesday visiting on Saturday, the Golden Boys will be chasing a first win in eight league games, a run which stretches back to Huddersfield on October 5.
The season has been even more of a disappointment for the Owls, who find themselves marooned in the Championship`s bottom three after a start which has seen them win just twice in the league.
A first win of the campaign came at the 14th attempt with promotion hopefuls Reading humbled 5-2 at Hillsborough with loan strikeforce Matty Fryatt and Connor Wickham imperious.
Three straight defeats followed and on December 1 – after just 20 months in the hot seat – Ols boss Dave Jones was finally put out of his misery by owner Milan Mandaric.
Mandaric had backed his manager in the transfer market with the capture of nine players on permanent deals – albeit only former Watford target Jeremy Helan was for a fee – and a further seven separate players on loan agreements.
Indeed, right up until his final week in charge of the Yorkshire side, Jones was scouring the market for re-enforcements, bringing his former Cardiff City charge, Glenn Loovens, to Hillsborough on a short-term deal.
The irony was, that the former Netherlands international was unable to appear whilst the former Bluebirds boss was in charge as he waited for international clearance following his release from Real Zaragoza in the summer.
Having scored just 20 times in 18 Championship fixtures, it`s not hard to pinpoint the Owls` problem: hitting the back of the net.
The loan arrival of Hull forward Fryatt went some way to solving that issue, but the former Leicester City and Walsall forward has since returned to the KC Stadium following the expiration of his loan agreement.
Sunderland`s former Ipswich Town forward is now in his second loan stint at Hillsborough, having spent part of last season with the south Yorkshire outfit.
With four goals in six starts since his arrival from Wearside, the hulking 6ft3in centre-forward could be the Owls best hope of propelling themselves out of the bottom three.
Signed from the Tractor Boys in 2010 for a whopping £8.1m (plus add-ons), Wickham has yet to really show the potential which had much of the Premier League clamouring for his signature that summer.
In three seasons at The Stadium of Light, the England Under-21 international has made just nine top-flight starts, scoring once, against Aston Villa in October 2010.
Doubtless hindered by the Black Cats` revolving door policy for first-team managers, Wickham was one of those dug out by former Sunderland head coach Paolo Di Canio for wearing t-shirts that were ‘too tight` and acting like a ‘Playboy`.
A big part of England Under-17`s European Championship winning squad of 2010, Wickham has undoubted potential, but getting the game time to showcase his talent has proven a separate matter altogether.
Watford are in better shape in terms of numbers than in recent weeks and even Almen Abdi is in contention following his return to training last week.
Tommie Hoban, Reece Brown and Essaid Belkalem are all out, whilst updates on Gabriele Angella, Lloyd Doyley and Manuel Almunia are anticipated.
Wednesday caretaker Stuart Gray is missing defensive pair Rafael Floro and Anthony Gardner, whilst Reda Johnson is a doubt.
Predicted line-ups:
Watford: Bond; Faraoni, Nosworthy, Ekstrand, Pudil; Bellerin, Battocchio, Thorne, McGugan, Anya; Deeney (capt).
Sheffield Wednesday: Martinez; Palmer, Zayatte, Ro. Johnson, Mattock; Helan, Olofinjana, Coke, Maghoma; Nuhiu & Wickham.
Kick-off: 15.00
Referee: Mr P Gibbs
Commentary: BBC Three Counties & Hornets Player
Higlights: The Football League Show (BBC1 @ 23.55) & Hornets Player
