Match Pack: Watford v Burnley

• Watford v Burnley
• Sky Bet Championship
• Vicarage Road
• Friday August 12, 8pm BST

• Referee: Thomas Bramall
  
• Assistants: Constantine Hatzidakis, Nick Greenhalgh
  
• Fourth Official: Leigh Doughty
  

Burnley have picked up four points from their opening two games under new Head Coach Vincent Kompany, playing a more possession-based, controlling style of play compared to their approach under former boss Sean Dyche. The Clarets have brought in 11 players, including last year's League One Player of the Season, Scott Twine; Manchester City prospect Taylor Harwood-Bellis; and former Anderlecht midfielder Scott Cullen.

• Five of the last six league encounters between Watford and Burnley in the Championship have ended level, with the Hornets winning the other at Vicarage Road in March 2012. The last four in a row at this level have been drawn.

• The Hornets have only lost twice in their last 15 outings in the Championship [W11 D2], while winning each of their last six in a row when playing on a Friday in the second tier.

• Burnley are looking to win consecutive away league games for the first time since May 2021 and are unbeaten in their last 12 away games in the Championship, winning the last four in a row.

For the full statistical breakdown, check out Stats Buzz: Burnley In Numbers.

Three players will be unavailable to Rob Edwards for Friday night’s Sky Bet Championship clash with Burnley [August 12, 8pm BST], as confirmed by the Head Coach in his pre-match press conference.

Midfielder Tom Dele-Bashiru will be out for “two or three months” after he suffered a knee ligament injury in training.

Imrân Louza remains out of action following a knee injury suffered in May, with Nigerian forward Samuel Kalu also sidelined with a hamstring injury.

For more information, click HERE.

Rob Edwards, Watford Head Coach:

“I have huge respect for what he [Vincent Kompany] did as a player and as a man as well, because I like the way he talks. I like what he stands for and he seems like a genuine, really good person. He has made a really good start to his coaching career which I’m sure he will be really successful in as well.

“They have made some changes [in their playing style] and I have heard him talking about keeping a lot of the things that made Burnley difficult to play against throughout the years, but he also wants to bring his own stamp on things. He has been very successful with that so far in the first couple of games.

“We know it will be a difficult game, they all are because they all bring their different challenges and threats.”

Vincent Kompany, Burnley Manager:

“If we talk about teams who have come down, and look at the turnover of all three squads, we’re in a much more delicate situation with more room for error because we’re all new, myself included.

“Watford are still very much a team geared up to go back to the Premier League and then try to stay there.

“It’s the type of challenge for us to have at this time of the season though, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’d prefer to go there now because we will have a very good idea of where we are with the squad afterwards.”

Overall:

Won: 13
Drawn: 11
Lost: 22

Last Six:
April 2022: Watford 1-2 Burnley (Premier League)
February 2020: Burnley 0-0 Watford (Premier League)
June 2020: Burnley 1-0 Watford (Premier League)
November 2019: Watford 0-3 Burnley (Premier League)
January 2019: Watford 0-0 Burnley (Premier League)
August 2018: Burnley 1-3 Watford (Premier League)

M'Baye Niang made an immediate impact on his Vicarage Road debut back in 2017, scoring and providing an assist in a 2-1 victory.