Watford vs. Norwich City pre-match preview: How to watch, kick off time, team news, predicted lineups and ones to watch.

Title-chasing Norwich City visit Watford on Boxing Day, in what promises to be a top of the table Christmas cracker. Both sides were relegated from the Premier League last season, and will aim to return at the first attempt. 

Watford vs. Norwich City pre-match preview: How to watch, kick off time, team news, predicted lineups and ones to watch.
Photo by Stephen Pond - Getty Images 
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By James Robinson

Home side Watford have been excellent at home so far this campaign. The Hornets have won seven of their 10 home matches, scoring an average of almost two goals per home match. However, they suffered an away defeat last week to Huddersfield, as an Etienne Capoue own goal sealed a disappointing 2-0 defeat, prompting the sacking of Vladimir Ivic.

Visitors Norwich City are five points clear at the top of the EFL Championship table, and come into the fixture on an exceptional run of form. The Canaries have won each of their past five fixtures, and boast the best away record in the entire division.

Ones to watch

Watford skipper Troy Deeney could be pivotal in today's match. Despite being used sporadically throughout the campaign, the Hornets' talisman has scored four goals and assisted a further two.

Teemu Pukki has once again been among the goals this season. The poacher has netted 10 times so far, and will be looking to exploit Watford's rearguard. 

Team News

For Watford, Craig Cathcart, Domingos Quina, Tom Dele-Bashiru and Isaac Success will not play. 

Norwich also have a lengthy injury list, with Sam Byram, Ben Gibson, Onel Hernandez, Adam Idah and Tim Krul not involved in today's game.

 Predicted Lineups

Watford (4-2-3-1): Foster, Ngakia, Troost-Ekong, Kabasele, Kiko, Cleverley, Chabolah, Sema, Garner, Sarr, Deeney. 

Norwich (4-2-3-1): McGovern, Aarons, Zimmermann, Hanley, Sorensen, McLean, Skipp, Cantwell, Vrancic, Buendia, Pukki.

Managers' Comments

New Watford boss Xisco Munoz suggested his players will give 100% against the league leaders, as he faces his first pre-match press conference since taking charge:  

"We will fight like animals, we'll give our maximum, 100 per cent, and will play this game like it's the last one in our lives, for sure."

Norwich boss Daniel Farke valued the importance of rest and recovery ahead of the packed festive schedule, beginning against Norwich on Boxing Day: 

"For the ones who are not 18 any more it is important to share the load, but in this period now with three games in eight days or so we will need to make changes. But we will not be rotating on seven or eight positions." 

How to watch 

The game will be shown live on Sky Sports, kicking off at 7:45pm on Saturday 26th December. 

You can also watch the match by purchasing an "iFollow" match pass from either club's website.