Watford v West Ham predictions: Feast of goals on the menu at Vicarage Road

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Watford v West Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday.

Where to watch

Amazon Prime Video, 3pm Tuesday

Best bet

Over 2.5 goals
2pts 19-20 Betfair

Team news

Watford
Francisco Sierralta and Adam Masina are back in contention but Peter Etebo, Ismaila Sarr, Nicolas Nkoulou, Ben Foster, Christian Kabasele and Kwadwo Baah remain injured.

West Ham
Michail Antonio could return to the starting line up but Declan Rice is suspended and Kurt Zouma, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell are sidelined.

Match preview

Premier League fans were treated to a feast of entertainment on Boxing Day with six fixtures generating 26 goals and another goal glut could be on the cards when Watford take on West Ham at Vicarage Road.

Watford manager Claudio Ranieri is working almost exclusively with players he inherited and has found it difficult to find a way of shoring up a suspect defence.

The struggling Hornets are the only team in the league without a clean sheet and that is unlikely to change against West Ham, who should be boosted by Michail Antonio's likely return to the starting line-up.

Antonio missed one game due to a positive Covid test and started on the bench for Sunday's 3-2 loss at home to Southampton.

However, he made an almost instant impact – scoring four minutes after his half-time introduction – and his power and pace are sure to ask questions of a Watford side who have shipped 21 goals in nine games since Ranieri's arrival.

A few West Ham players could be feeling a bit leggy due to the short turnaround and the scope for rotation is greater in the attacking positions, where Antonio, Manuel Lanzini and Andrei Yarmolenko are among options for recalls, than at the back.

Centre-backs Craig Dawson and Issa Diop struggled against Southampton forwards Armando Broja and Mohamed Elyounoussi, but they will probably have to go again because they are the only fit senior centre-halves in the squad.

They could be targeted by a pacey Watford attack, who can play their part in the high-scoring fare.

Key stat

All of Watford's last five matches have generated at least three goals

Inside info

Watford

Penalty taker Joshua King
Free-kick wizard Juraj Kucka
Set-piece aerial threat Craig Cathcart
Card magnet Emmanuel Dennis

West Ham

Penalty taker Manuel Lanzini
Free-kick wizardSaid Benrahma
Set-piece aerial threatTomas Soucek
Card magnetTomas Soucek

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