Match Pack: Watford v Sunderland

• Watford v Sunderland
• Sky Bet Championship
• Vicarage Road
• Saturday September 17, 3pm KO

• Referee: John Busby
• Assistant Referees: Mark Russell & Robert Smith
• Fourth Official: Andy Woolmer

The club will be paying tribute to the memory of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II prior to Saturday’s fixture against Sunderland.

The players, who - alongside coaching staff and match officials - will be wearing black armbands, will emerge from the tunnel slightly earlier than normal, and a minute’s silence will be held before the national anthem is played. A wreath will also be laid by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Robert Voss CBE, accompanied by Rita Taylor and Karen Colley, representing the family of the late Graham Taylor OBE, as well as Luther Blissett OBE DL.

Supporters are urged to get to their seats early to join the club in paying their respects. The club will be ensuring a respectful tone is maintained throughout the afternoon with regards to matchday music, big screens and entertainment.

After guiding Sunderland to the Championship with victory over Wycombe Wanderers in May’s third-tier play-off final, former manager Alex Neil departed the Black Cats for Stoke City less than 10 matches into the new season.

Sunderland would have to look elsewhere and soon appointed the experienced Tony Mowbray to steady the ship. Since his arrival, the team have won twice and lost once, including a recent 3-0 victory over Reading. Mowbray will be hoping to maintain his good start when the sixth-placed Wearsiders travel down to face the Hornets.

• This is the first league encounter between Watford and Sunderland since April 2017 in the Premier League.

• The sides haven’t met in the Championship since February 2005, with the Black Cats winning 4-2 that day under Mick McCarthy.

• The Golden Boys could win consecutive Football League games against Sunderland for the first time since January 1993.

For the Hornets, Ismaïla Sarr and Kortney Hause will be assessed following minor injuries.

Full-back Hassane Kamara may be available against the Black Cats, and is in training after a muscle strain. Edwards is ‘hopeful’ of the defender’s return.

Jeremy Ngakia suffered a hamstring injury in Tuesday night’s defeat to Blackburn, and will be out for a longer period of time.

Imrân Louza is back on the grass and training with the first-team following knee surgery at the end of last season, with fellow midfielder Tom Cleverley having a similar time-frame on his return from a tendon injury.

Midfielder Tom Dele-Bashiru and striker Rey Manaj are also continuing their longer-term rehabilitation from knee and hamstring injuries respectively.

For more information, click HERE.

Striker Ellis Simms suffered a toe injury in Sunderland’s midweek win over Reading, and will face a late fitness test. Fellow forward Ross Stewart, injured earlier this month in the warm-up against Middlesbrough, will certainly miss out. Defender Dennis Cirkin is another doubt.

Rob Edwards, Watford Head Coach:

“As a group we weren’t happy with the performance [against Blackburn]. We’ve always said you can never guarantee wins but we can control the effort and work-rate, and I take responsibility for that. I make it very clear, that’s what we’re looking for against Sunderland.

“We want an intensity in our play and positivity - especially in the first half [against Blackburn] we didn’t have enough of that. We spoke about it after the game - if we don’t have that it doesn’t matter how much talent you have. We need to see a fight and if we bring that the quality will come out.”

Tony Mowbray, Sunderland Manager

“We understand that they [Watford] might not be full of confidence, but we feel they’ll be very hungry and will have great desire to show their supporters that the result midweek is something they’d like to put right. We have to be ready for that and stand up to it.”

Born in Hertfordshire, Kevin Phillips signed for the Hornets from Baldock Town as a youngster and would go on to establish himself as a potent striker during the 1994/95 season. After making over 60 appearances in yellow and scoring 24 goals, he departed for the North-East.

At Sunderland he would become an iconic figure due to his goalscoring ability, which led to him winning the European Golden Shoe in 1999/00 – the only Englishman to do so to this day. Over 200 appearances and 134 goals later, Phillips would leave the Stadium of Light having become a phenomenon with the Black Cats.

Overall:

Won: 11
Drawn: 14
Lost: 18

Last Six:

April 2017: Watford 1-0 Sunderland (Premier League)
December 2016: Sunderland 1-0 Watford (Premier League)
May 2016: Watford 2-2 Sunderland (Premier League)
December 2015: Sunderland 0-1 Watford (Premier League)
February 2005: Sunderland 4-2 Watford (Championship)
October 2004: Watford 1-1 Sunderland (Championship)

Watford’s last meeting with Sunderland came back in April 2017. Despite a tight match, Miguel Britos’ second-half header was the difference, as the Hornets secured their first victory against the Black Cats at Vicarage Road since January 1999.