Match Pack: Watford v Sunderland

• Watford v Sunderland
• Sky Bet Championship
• Vicarage Road
• Saturday April 27, 3pm KO
• Yellow and black home kit

• Referee: Oliver Langford
• Assistant Referees: Hristo Karaivanov and Matthew Jones
• Fourth Official: Sam Purkiss

Sunderland are one of a few clubs in the same position as the Hornets - safe from relegation, but unable to qualify for the play-offs.

It has been a topsy-turvy season for the Black Cats after their play-off semi-final failure last season, with the side currently sitting in 13th.

They took the decision to sack Tony Mowbray in December following a run of two wins from nine, with the side dropping out of the play-offs as a result.

Michael Beale was announced as his replacement, but a disastrous 12-game stint was brought to an end in February, with the fans certainly not taking to the Head Coach.

Caretaker Mike Dodds was handed the reins until the end of the season in a period which has seen the Black Cats limp to the close of the campaign, with just two wins from their last 11 games.

Watford have won just two of their last 13 league games against Sunderland (D5 L6), with both of those victories in that time coming via 1-0 scorelines.

Three of Watford’s last four league games have ended goalless and the Hornets have more goalless draws than any other team in the Championship this season (6). If this game is a goalless draw, April 2024 will be the first month the Hornets have had four 0-0 draws since March 1973.

Sunderland have given more appearances (72) and minutes (4406) to teenagers than any other side in the Championship this season. Indeed, the average age of their starting XI in the league this term (22y 347d) is nearly two years younger than any other team in the division.

Click HERE for a full statistical breakdown.

Tom Cleverley revealed that Giorgi Chakvetadze will be absent for Watford this weekend due to a persistent groin issue, with this summer's European Championship in mind.

A technical decision is yet to be made on Tom Dele-Bashiru, whereas Jeremy Ngakia will miss the rest of the season with a muscle issue.

Ken Sema is available to start after making his comeback from injury in the goalless draw at home to Hull City last time out.

For Sunderland, Dennis Cirkin and Nazariy Rusyn are back training, but this weekend may come too soon for the pair.

Tom Cleverley, Watford Head Coach:

They are a young team, a dynamic team, and they will play without fear. We expect a very tough test, a hard nut to crack. I don’t expect a game that looks like two teams in mid-table winding down.

They will be motivated for their own fans. They are always well travelled and well supported, and they haven’t had the easiest of times recently. It will be two teams that are desperate for three points.

Mike Dodds, Sunderland Interim Head Coach:

He clearly deserves the appointment. They have changed their style and are very well organised.

Every game in the Championship is a tough game. Tom has changed their approach, but it is our responsibility to nullify their strengths and capitalise on their weaknesses.

Overall:

Won: 11
Drawn: 16
Lost: 19

Last Six:

October 2023: Sunderland 2-0 Watford (Championship)
April 2023: Sunderland 2-2 Watford (Championship)
September 2022: Watford 2-2 Sunderland (Championship)
April 2017: Watford 1-0 Sunderland (Premier League)
December 2016: Sunderland 1-0 Watford (Premier League)
May 2016: Watford 2-2 Sunderland (Premier League)

The Hornets condemned top-of-the-table Sunderland to only their second away defeat of the season in January 1999 thanks to a 2-1 victory at Vicarage Road.

Nick Wright's opener was cancelled out by Niall Quinn, before Gifton Noel-Williams' second-half strike earned all three points for Watford.

Both teams ended the season with promotion; the Black Cats won the title, whereas the Golden Boys went up through the play-offs.