Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
This is a match with no clear favourite. While Watford have home advantage, their attacking struggles raise concerns. Norwich City, on the other hand, thrashed Swansea City in their last outing, but both teams need to improve their consistency if they want to break into the top six.
Watford
The absence of forward Kwadwo Baah has significantly impacted Watford’s attacking output, despite Vakoun Bayo (10 goals) leading the club’s scoring charts. In their 1:2 defeat to Coventry City, the team generated only 0.60 xG, with Bayo contributing just 0.09 xG. Baah’s replacement, young Irishman Rocco Vata, failed to find the net for the second game in a row. Watford’s only goal came from an own goal by the opposition. With just one win and one draw in seven matches since the start of the year, their lack of firepower is a growing concern.
Norwich City
Norwich boast the second-best attack in the league (48 goals), thanks to a red-hot run in late November, when they scored 12 times across three matches. However, their scoring rate has dipped since then, as they have struggled to score in every match, and even when they do, they rarely net more than twice. In the 4:0 win over Swansea City, it wasn’t Borja Sainz (Championship top scorer with 15 goals) who led the way, but others stepped up. Josh Sargent scored twice in just his third match since recovering from a groin operation, while Emiliano Marcondes contributed a goal and an assist.
Watford vs Norwich City Prediction
Norwich City have more goal-scoring options, whereas Watford lack firepower without Kwadwo Baah. The visitors should at least avoid defeat and get points.
