Vicarage Road is the scene for the first M1 Derby since 2006 and Nathan Jones' Luton Town side will be keen to make it three wins from three to add further gloss to their impressive start this campaign. 

There's only a mere 18 miles that separate these two clubs, but for some time they've been separated in the English football pyramid. Watford's recent history saw them enjoy several years in the Premier League, whereas for Luton they've rose from the fifth to the second tier in an incredible climb. 

It's all set to be a fiery encounter that both sets of fans will have been eagerly anticipating for some time, albeit from the comfort of their homes. 

Form

The Championship is a minefield when it comes to results, with surprises and shocks around every corner and using form as an indicator at this stage of the campaign would be very harsh when separating these rivals. 

Although form goes out the window in these big matches, the visitors come into the encounter with the healthier points tally. Jones' men started the season with a 1-0 victory at Oakwell against Barnsley and then followed that up with a 2-1 home win against Derby. 

Watford are yet to concede a goal since being relegated back to the second tier and will eye a third consecutive clean sheet this Saturday. An opening day win on home soil against Middlesbrough is exactly what new manager Vladimir Ivic will have wanted, but a draw away at Sheffield Wednesday and an early cup exit to League Two side Newport County will have fans hoping for a swift change in fortunes. 

Ones to watch 

18-year-old Joao Pedro is among the most exciting prospects in the division and the Brazilian international will be keen to net his first goal for the club and show why he's rated so highly. 

Alongside Pedro, Ivic has a plethora of attacking options at his disposal. Glenn Murray is still a very capable striker at Championship level and could easily cause problems to the Luton defence if he's given the nod. 

Harry Cornick is the creative spark in the visitor's side and will undoubtedly want to rediscover his link with striker James Collins. Collins got off the mark on the opening day, scoring the only goal in their 1-0 win at Barnsley. 

The pair play a vital role in the Hatters squad, contributing a combined 29 goals and assists last season. 

Defensive problems are something that plagued the Hatters last campaign and they set out to change that over the summer, bringing in a number of fresh faces to add further depth to the backline. Rhys Norrington-Davies, Tom Lockyer and James Bree are among them names. 

Team news  

Watford have been in limbo at the unknown of which players are wanting to commit their future to the club and which head for the exit door, but Ivic confirmed both Ismaila Sarr and Troy Deeney will be available for selection for the first time this season after being linked with moves away during this summer transfer window. 

Roberto Pereyra and Etienne Capoue have asked to leave the club and won't be part of Ivic's plans moving forward. 

Gerard Deulofeu and Danny Welbeck are also two players who look likely to leave the club before the deadline on October 5th. 

Jones is currently without any injuries to his first-team squad, but still has a big decision to stick with the team that has brought early success or roll the dice and evaluate the rest of his squad. 

Head-to-head 

Despite not locking horns for 14 years, these clubs have contested 87 times, with Luton boasting the better record. 

Watford have been victorious 28 times, in comparison to Luton's 36. The sides have played out 23 draws. 

This will only be the fourth time these sides have faced each other since the new millennium in 2000. The last five meetings are in favour of the Hornets who've picked up two wins, two draws and lost once. 

 

How to watch 

The game can be purchased to watch live through streaming services that can be found on both official club websites.

The game kicks-off at 12:30 BST.