Following last weekend’s entertaining goalless draw with Plymouth Argyle, Watford will be aiming to preserve their unbeaten start to the 2023/24 Sky Bet Championship season when they travel to Stoke City on Saturday (August 19, 3pm KO).
While the wait for the first away league game of the season goes on, we take a look at all the stats, facts and figures surrounding the eagerly awaited encounter.
Previous Meetings
Stoke have lost their previous two home league games to Watford, both of which were in the Championship. They have never lost three such games in succession before.
Watford have won each of their last four Football League meetings with Stoke, as many wins as in their previous 15 league encounters (D3 L8).
Should the Golden Boys win, the Potters will be the sixth different side the Hornets have won five successive league games against this century, and the first since Norwich City in September 2021.
-dynamic_image.jpg)
Recent Form
Watford are the only side in the Championship so far this season yet to concede, while it’s now three games without conceding including their final game last season against Stoke (2-0 win). They last enjoyed a longer such run in December 2022 (run of four).
Stoke City’s opening-day 4-1 win over Rotherham United was their first home league victory since March. The Potters last won successively on home soil in the league in April 2022.
Watford are unbeaten in each of their last four league games (W2 D2). The Hornets last enjoyed a longer such run in August 2022, avoiding defeat in their first five league fixtures of 2022/23 (W2 D3).
Opposition Stat Attack
Ki-Jana Hoever and André Vidigal scored three of the four goals for Alex Neil’s Potters against Rotherham on the opening day, with Vidigal leading the way in the team’s standings for shots on target (4) and goals scored (2) during the 2023/24 campaign so far.
Former Watford defender Ben Wilmot has contributed two assists and has in total attempted 179 passes - including 122 completed in Stoke’s half - while new signing Enda Stevens has made the most passes in the opposition’s half (69).
Defensively, Wilmot has made the most clearances (9), while Hoever and Josh Laurent have managed the most attempted tackles (4). Wilmot has also made the most blocks (5), and - together with Ben Pearson and Michael Rose - the most interceptions (3).
