Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
This is one of the most crucial encounters in the 22nd round. Burnley are on the brink of securing a direct promotion to the Premier League, while Watford are eyeing a spot in the play-offs. Though half the season remains, the final outcomes are decided right now.
Burnley
A rather rare event occurred for Burnley in the last round—they conceded a goal. This was only the second time in eight matches. However, it is not surprising that it was Norwich City, one of the most prolific teams, who found the net. The comeback victory against Norwich City (2:1) is notable, as they equalised and then won after conceding in the second minute. It's worth noting this was one of the rare matches with a total over 2.5; Burnley hadn't reached this in 14 previous matches.
Watford
Watford also played a high-scoring match against fellow top-six hopefuls West Bromwich Albion (2:1). Vakoun Bayo broke a three-game goal drought to score twice, giving him nine goals for the season, though he had only scored against lower-table teams before. For Watford, matches with a total over are also uncommon, with this being only the second occurrence in their last seven games.
Burnley vs Watford Prediction
The head-to-head history suggests a total under as the most likely result. In the 2020s, only one of their five matches has seen more than two goals.
