It’s been an up and down season so far for Newcastle United and going into this home game against Watford, it’s definitely a down period for them. The home side have dropped out of the top ten but five points above the relegation zone, so no immediate need for concern that they might end up making a quick return to the Championship.
It’s a period of uncertainty for the club with their owner seemingly desperate to sell before Christmas and no idea how much there will be in the kitty to spend during the January transfer window. Work needs to be done during that window, especially finding a top striker. So far, no Newcastle player has scored more than twice, and their last seven goals have been scored by different players Just two goals in the last four league games isn’t good enough.
Newcastle come into this game on the back of three straight defeats and the last seven league games have only produced five points. That’s changed a promising start to the season into one where they need to get winning again or they will end up in a relegation battle which is hardly what any new owners will be hoping for.
They have won three home games, though six home league matches have only seen 12 goas scored, seven by Newcastle. Defence is a problem with only one clean sheet in the last eight league games. Now they face a Watford side who have no problems scoring on their travels.
Watford have 18 points so far, this season and ten of those have been earned on the road and that’s the fifth best away record in the Premier League. They have scored twice in each of their last seven away league games, all a bit surprising considering they had failed to score in any of the six before that.
Their only away defeats this season have been at Chelsea and Everton. They led in both of those games and could easily have won both. Last weekend they had a 2-0 home win over West Ham United but face an anxious few days before this match away to Newcastle United. There’s still the chance that manager Marco Silva could be on his way to Everton, but the rumours didn’t seem to unsettle them in that win over West Ham United.
The form of midfielders Richarlison – who has scored in three of their last four away league games – and Abdoulaye Doucouré is going to be a key factor in this game with the pair having nine goals between them this season.
Conclusion
Newcastle United need to get some points before all the good work they did earlier in the season is wiped out. With trips to West Brom and Chelsea following this game, there is the possibility the direction of their season could soon change, and no one is going to want to buy a club that could soon be back in the Championship. They do have good home form, but goals aren’t flowing for them at present.
That’s not the case with Watford who have already won three away games and consistently score twice on their travels. They looked in good form against West Ham United and if those worries over their Marco Silva can be handled, they can win another away match to cement their place in the top ten of the Premier League with both teams scoring as Watford struggle to keep away clean sheets.
The Key Stats
Last Five Premier League Results – Most recent first
Newcastle United – LLLWD
Watford – WLLLW
Head to Head – Last Five League Meetings
23/01/16 – Watford 2 Newcastle United 1
19/09/15 – Newcastle United 1 Watford 2
27/02/10 – Watford 1 Newcastle United 2
05/12/09 – Newcastle United 2 Watford 0
13/05/07 – Watford 1 Newcastle United 1
- Watford have only kept two clean sheets in their last 20 away league games.
- Watford have scored twice in each of their last seven away league games.
- Watford have the fifth best away record in the Premier League.
- Newcastle United have lost their last three league games.
- Just one of the last seven league games have produced a Newcastle United victory.
- Newcastle United have just seven points from their last seven games.
- Newcastle United have conceded in seven of their last eight league games.
- Both teams have scored in six of the last eight league and cup games played between these two sides.