Match Pack: Watford v Swansea City

• Watford v Swansea City
• Sky Bet Championship
• Vicarage Road
• Wednesday March 6, 7.45pm KO
• Yellow and black home kit

• Referee: Tom Nield
• Assistant Referees: Mark Stevens and Carl Fitch-Jackson
• Fourth Official: James Linington

Swansea have started to turn their fortunes around in recent weeks after a rocky start under new boss Luke Williams.

Williams, who led Notts County to promotion into the Football League last season, returned to South Wales in early January, having previously served as Russell Martin's assistant at the club between 2021 and 2022.

Replacing Michael Duff, the new boss had to wait until February 10 for his first win at his new club, a 1-0 victory away to promotion-chasing Hull City.

Although defeats to high-flying Ipswich Town and Leeds United followed, the Swans have since picked up back-to-back victories, including a first home win of the 42-year-old's tenure against Blackburn Rovers last time out.

• Following a 1-0 away win in October this season, Watford are looking to complete a league double over Swansea City for the first time since the 1982/83 top-flight campaign.

• Swansea City have won two of their last three away league games against Watford (L1), as many victories as across their previous eight trips to face the Hornets (D1 L5).

• Watford have lost all three of their home league games in 2024 – their worst start at home to a calendar year in the second tier since 1972.

Click HERE for a full statistical breakdown.

Valérien Ismaël has revealed that right-back Jeremy Ngakia will miss at least the next four weeks of the season.

The 23-year-old suffered a contact injury to his knee during the 1-0 defeat to Millwall in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday (March 2).

Ismaël confirmed that Ryan Andrews is now set to start against Swansea as a result.

"Ryan Andrews will be back in the team, to show his quality," he said.

Giorgi Chakvetadze will also return to contention against Swansea after missing the Millwall game with a knee concern.

For Swansea, they may be without key man Jamie Paterson, who was withdrawn as a precaution in the second half of Saturday's win over Blackburn Rovers.

Harrison Ashby, Bashir Humprheys, Josh Key and Azeem Abdulai could all be in line to make their return from injury.

Valérien Ismaël, Watford Head Coach:

"It is not about Swansea. The focus is on us, it is clearly on us, to have the right attitude, the right mentality, the right desire, to make sure we do the right thing and as I say, whatever it takes, we have to win the game.

"We have a clear plan and now it is onto the pitch - the truth is on the pitch. Enough is enough, and whatever it takes, we want the three points."

Luke Williams, Swansea City Manager:

"I want to see if the players can maintain the level, intensity, and the aggression. We have to maintain it, or otherwise it is nothing.

"The other teams around us keep winning, so we have to make sure that we keep winning. That’s the challenge now - can we maintain the standard as a bare minimum. Before we even move forward we have to maintain what we have done."

Overall:

Won: 19
Drawn: 10
Lost: 25

Last Six:

October 2023: Swansea City 0-1 Watford (Championship)
December 2022: Swansea City 4-0 Watford (Championship)
October 2022: Watford 1-2 Swansea City (Championship)
May 2021: Watford 2-0 Swansea City (Championship)
January 2021: Swansea City 2-1 Watford (Championship)
September 2019: Watford 2-1 Swansea City (League Cup)

Richarlison sent the travelling Watford fans into a frenzy in 2017 when the Brazilian smashed home a 90th-minute winner to secure a 2-1 win in the Premier League for the Hornets.