The bottom sides meet in Saturday’s late kick-off, with the Premier League’s leakiest defence welcoming its least potent attack. Both sides began the season with top-half aspirations but face a battle to avoid being cut adrift over the festive period. Watford’s Quique Sánchez Flores faces a defensive injury crisis, with Craig Dawson and Christian Kabasele ruled out this week. Southampton will hope Danny Ings can take advantage and score for a third straight game. Niall McVeigh
Saturday 5.30pm Sky Sports PL
Venue St Mary’s Stadium
Last season Southampton 1 Watford 1
Referee Michael Oliver
This season G11 Y50 R2 4.73 cards/game
Odds H 11-10 A 12-5 D 5-2
SOUTHAMPTON
Subs from Gunn, Lewis, Valery, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Boufal, Vokins, Slattery, Ramsay, Danso, Sims, McQueen, Adams, Obafemi
Doubts Boufal (ankle), Vestergaard (ill)
Injured Armstrong (hamstring, 14 Dec)
Suspended None
Discipline Y16 R2
Form LDLLLD
Leading Scorer Ings 6
WATFORD
Subs from Gomes, Bachmann, Quina, Chalobah, Zeegelaar, Sarr, Dele-Bashiru, Pereyra, Foulquier, Dahlberg, Success
Doubtful Quina (hip), Bachmann (thigh), Pereyra (thigh)
Injured Cleverley (heel, 4 Dec), Dawson (head, 4 Dec); Janmaat (knee), Welbeck (thigh), Prödl (knee, all unknown)
Suspended None
Discipline Y28 R1
Form DDDLWL
Leading Scorer Deulofeu, Gray 2
