Watford v QPR predictions and free football tips: Hornets look hard to beat

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Watford v QPR in the Championship on Monday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Football, 7.45pm Monday

Best bet

Watford to win & under 3.5 goals
2pts 7-5 Betway, BoyleSports

Team news

Watford
Goalkeeper Ben Foster, defender Domingos Quina and striker Stipe Perica are injured but Christian Kabasele could return to the squad.

QPR
Fulham loanee Stefan Johansen is set to make his debut and Mark Warburton could welcome back Lee Wallace and Charlie Owens after injury.

Match preview

Mark Warburton's QPR are in decent away form, drawing at Championship leaders Norwich before wins at Luton and Cardiff, but that run should come to an end at Watford's Vicarage Road fortress.

The Hornets, relegated from the Premier League last season, are in the hunt for an immediate return to the top flight and their lofty league position owes much to their excellent home form.

With ten wins, two draws and just one defeat in 13 matches on their own patch this season, Watford have the best home record in the division and they are bidding for a fourth straight win to nil at Vicarage Road under new manager Xisco Munoz.

The Spaniard succeeded Vladimir Ivic in December and made the perfect start to his new job with a 1-0 win over highflying Norwich on Boxing Day.

The Canaries were held to a goalless draw by Middlesbrough on Saturday, so a victory for Watford over QPR would take them to within four points of the Championship leaders and they are worth backing to do so in a low-scoring contest.

Their win over Norwich was followed by a 2-0 triumph against Huddersfield and a 1-0 victory over Barnsley in which Troy Deeney's first-half penalty was enough to earn three points for the hosts.

Xisco has the Hornets defence in good shape with centre-backs William Troost-Ekong and Francisco Sierralta keeping another clean sheet in Tuesday's goalless draw at Millwall.

Watford have scored a meagre seven league goals in 13 away matches this season and they are hardly expansive even when playing with more confidence at Vicarage Road.

But their defence can be expected to stand firm against a QPR side whose last ten league matches have all rewarded backers of under 2.5 goals.

The Hoops have brought back striker Charlie Austin to pep up their attack but he and his fellow forwards could face a tough challenge against the Watford rearguard.

QPR competed well in November's reverse fixture, coming back strongly to earn a 1-1 draw after Watford had taken a third-minute lead and created several more opportunities in a dominant first-half display.

However, the Hoops' victory at Luton on January 12 ended a nine-game winless streak and they managed only two shots on target in last weekend's 1-0 defeat to Derby – the fourth consecutive home game in which they have failed to score.

They cannot expect many clear chances at Watford, where Norwich, Huddersfield and Barnsley had just four attempts on target between them in the Hornets' last three home games.

Deeney, Ismaila Sarr and Joao Pedro give the home side a cutting edge that QPR still lack and backing a Watford win in a game featuring under 3.5 goals looks the best betting strategy.

Key stat

Six of Watford's 13 league victories this season have been by a 1-0 margin.

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