Premier League: Watford v Chelsea betting preview, free tip and where to watch

Football tips, best bets and predictions for Watford v Chelsea in the Premier League.

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Chelsea
3pts 4-6 general
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Team news

Watford
Isaac Success (unspecified) and Etienne Capoue (back) could return to the squad but Tom Cleverley (heel) and Domingos Quina (groin) have joined Troy Deeney (knee), Danny Welbeck (hamstring) and Ismaila Sarr (unspecified) on the sidelines. Jose Holebas is available after a ban.

Chelsea
Emerson Palmieri (thigh) and Antonio Rudiger (knee and groin) could return to the squad but Ross Barkley (ankle) is a doubt and N'Golo Kante (groin) and Andreas Christensen (hamstring) miss out. Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Achilles) is a long-term absentee.

Match preview

Chelsea's seven-match winning streak came to an end with a 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester United in the EFL Cup fourth round but Premier League points are their priority and they look solid odds-on favourites to pick up another three against winless Watford at Vicarage Road.

Frank Lampard has a great affinity for the domestic knockout competitions, having won two League Cups and four FA Cups during his Chelsea playing career, but he made his priorities clear on Wednesday by making six changes.

Chelsea's big guns return to action against Watford and there are unlikely to be many changes, if any, to the side who won 4-2 at Burnley last Saturday.

Christian Pulisic starred against the Clarets with a hat-trick and his sudden rise to prominence adds another dimension to an exciting line-up.

Watford will also have to contend with eight-goal striker Tammy Abraham and rising star Mason Mount, who is the league's joint-highest-scoring midfielder alongside Bernardo Silva with four goals in ten appearances.

There is no need for Lampard to change a successful formula so Callum Hudson-Odoi, who is closing in on full fitness and completed the full 90 minutes in midweek, may have to be patient.

Pedro, Michy Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud are also likely to miss out on starting berths and the Blues' wealth of attacking resources gives them a clear advantage over the Hornets, whose threadbare attack is robbed of injured trio Troy Deeney, Danny Welbeck and Ismaila Sarr.

Watford are the division's lowest scorers and their struggles have been a surprise because they were excellent last term, finishing in their highest ever Premier league placing of11th and reaching the FA Cup final.

The drop-off in performance has been considerable and it is going to take a massive effort for them to turn their season around.

Quique Sanchez Flores is focusing on building from the back and has made some progress, steering Watford to successive league draws at home to Sheffield United (0-0), away to Tottenham (1-1) and at home to Bournemouth (0-0).

But the Hornets lost the shot count in all of those matches and were fortunate to get away with a point against the Cherries, who were denied twice by the woodwork and also by some spectacular goalkeeping from Ben Foster.

Flores's side frequently attacked through just Roberto Pereyra and Gerard Deulofeu and their lack of ambition made it an easy afternoon's work for Bournemouth centre-backs Steve Cook and Nathan Ake.