Pre-season has not had the cleansing effect Watford would have hoped. The blistering downward spiral of results from the end of last season has bled into this. Javi Gracia needs a spark and Ismaïla Sarr’s defence-shredding pace could be exactly that if he makes his debut. West Ham will hope Sébastian Haller is fit to return and able to capitalise on any fragility that two defeats and no goals has engendered at Vicarage Road. Add Watford missing Troy Deeney’s leadership and you start to feel slightly nervous for Gracia. Graham Searles
Saturday 3pm
Venue Vicarage Road
Last season Watford 1 West Ham 4
Referee Chris Kavanagh
This season G1 Y1 R0 1 cards/game
Odds H 21-20 A 5-2 D 5-2
WATFORD
Subs from Gomes, Janmaat, Kabasele, Prödl, Welbeck, Masina, Quina, Chalobah, Sema, Cleverley, Success, Dahlberg, Mariappa, Dele-Bashiru, Foulquier, Sarr
Doubtful Dele-Bashiru, Sarr (both match fitness), Doucouré (ankle), Pereyra (thigh)
Injured Deeney (knee), Peñaranda (thigh, both unknown)
Suspended None
Discipline Y3 R0
Form LL
Leading scorer n/a
WEST HAM
Subs from Martin, Roberto, Balbuena, Cardoso, Cresswell, Zabaleta, Johnson, Coventry, Wilshere, Sánchez, Snodgrass, Antonio, Ajeti, Hernández, Yarmolenko, Holland
Doubtful Felipe Anderson (thigh), Haller (knee), Noble (calf)
Injured Reid (knee, unknown)
Suspended None
Discipline Y4 R0
Form LD
Leading scorer Hernández 1
