It was less than half a year ago that these two sides were locked in a fierce end-of-season sprint, each contending to claim 7th spot in the Premier League and the subsequent reward of European football. But now the tables have turned dramatically, indicating once again just how quickly the beautiful game can obtain an entirely new complexion.
The eventual victors of that race in 2018/19, Wolverhampton Wanderers, played their first competitive match as early as 25 July — the only downside to securing Europa League competition which, for a club like Wolves, is a significant achievement.
Certainly, that early return to action appears to have taken its toll on the team. Winless from the first six games, they currently lie 19th in the league standings in what has been a harsh coming down to Earth after their fairytale first campaign back in the top flight last term.
Last time out, Wolves looked to be heading for their third loss in a row at Selhurst Park. A Leander Dendoncker own goal gave hosts Crystal Palace the lead until the fifth minute of stoppage time, when forward Diogo Jota poked home a last-gasp equaliser.
Despite the initial jubilation at snatching a result from the jaws of defeat, the point temporarily papered over cracks which may still remain, and that elusive first win will need to arrive sooner rather than later for creeping concerns of second season syndrome to vanish.
The only side propping Wolves up and off the foot of the table as things stand is Watford. Their poor form stretches back to a peculiar conclusion to last season which saw their pursuit of European football come to something of an anticlimax in the form of an 11th-placed finish which, nonetheless, made for statistically the club's best ever Premier League campaign to date.
After three losses and one draw prior to the most recent international break, head coach Javi Gracia was replaced by the familiar figure of Quique Sánchez Flores, who takes his seat at the Vicarage Road helm for a second time with the palpable aim of steering the team clear of an impending relegation battle.
His first game in charge against Arsenal offered much encouragement, but that's in stark contrast to last weekend. The Hornets were played off the park by a rampant Manchester City side, conceding no fewer than eight at the Etihad Stadium — it was a fitting display of both the sheer brilliance of the Citizens and the strange deficiency of their opponents on the day.
Sánchez Flores, his players and their fans will all be desperate for an appropriate response in their trip to Molineux Stadium, though the hosts in this fixture are undeniably no less eager to secure victory this time around.
Previous meetings
One of the more recent encounters between these two sides was, and perhaps always will be, the most memorable of them all. In the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium, Watford had Spanish forward Gerard Deulofeu to thank for an exhilarating turnaround from two goals down as the Hornets eventually clinched the tie in extra time.
However, Wolves had the last laugh in the league, winning 2-1 in Hertfordshire on the final weekend of April in a result which gave them the driving seat for Europa League qualification heading into the final two matches of the season.
In the corresponding fixture last year, Watford scored two quick-fire goals in the first half to abruptly but steadily bring to an end a run of four winless games for themselves and six undefeated for the Midlands outfit.
Overall, the Hornets hold the edge in competitive encounters, winning 15 of the 47 meetings compared to 14 for Wolves. However, their victory at Molineux eleven months ago was just the fourth triumph enjoyed by Watford at the venue in 107 years of visits, though it should also be noted that none of the four top flight battles between the sides have ended in a home win.
View from the dugout
Wolves head coach Nuno Espírito Santo had a great deal of praise to speak for his opposite number here, and believes poor starts to the season will have no bearing on the game from the perspective of either side.
"Quique is a fantastic manager and he has done very good jobs around the world.
"Anything can happen. Last week and this week are different. We must analyse the games they've played and take important information to pass onto the players."
Meanwhile, even after the trauma in Manchester a week ago, Sánchez Flores is embracing the challenge ahead of him and remains optimistic of a positive outcome.
"I'm not used to being in this kind of position, but I have the feeling that I know the team, I know the atmosphere here in Watford and all of these kind of things can help a lot at the moment to take good decisions.
"I like these players, I like the squad, I trust in them and I think they are able to change the situation."
Team news
Wolves prospects Bruno Jordão and Meritan Shabani both picked up injuries in the midweek victory over Reading in the Carabao Cup and will not be able to feature.
However, Roman Saïss is available for selection again after serving a one-match suspension.
Sánchez Flores will be without captain Troy Deeney, who is still on the road to recovery from knee surgery in August and will watch on from the sidelines once again.
He is joined by Isaac Success as definite absentees, although centre-back Craig Cathcart has returned to training and could feature in some capacity.
Predicted XIs
Wolverhampton Wanderers — Patricio; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Traoré, Neves, Dendoncker, Moutinho, Jonny; Jiménez, Jota.
Watford — Foster; Janmaat, Dawson, Kabasele, Holebas; Capoue, Doucouré; Sarr, Cleverley, Deulofeu; Welbeck.