Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
Two sides separated only by goal difference meet on the south coast, with Portsmouth sitting 19th and Watford 18th. Neither club has found its rhythm this season, and a tight, low-scoring affair looks likely.
Portsmouth
Portsmouth started brightly with two wins and a draw from their opening four games, but momentum has since stalled. Since beating Preston North End (1:0) in late August, they’ve picked up just a single point from three matches. A 0:0 draw with Southampton offered hope, but back-to-back defeats to Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town underlined their struggles. Goals are the big issue: in eight competitive games this term, Portsmouth have never scored more than once, and they’ve yet to find the net inside the opening half hour of any match.
Watford
Watford’s campaign has been equally stuttering — two wins, two draws and three defeats from seven outings. Their 2:1 victory at home to Hull City last weekend ended a run of four without a win, but away form remains a glaring problem. Watford haven’t won on the road in nine attempts stretching back to February. History is also against them: the last eight league meetings between these clubs have all been won by the home side, and Watford haven’t taken three points at Fratton Park since 2002.
Portsmouth vs Watford Prediction
Given Portsmouth’s poor conversion rate and Watford’s lengthy away drought, this is unlikely to be a thriller. Expect a cagey contest with few chances and a strong possibility that at least one side fails to score.
