Watford Preview

For reasons best known to the TV schedulers, the viewing public in the US will be treated to the enormously important Fulham vs Villa and Newcastle vs Boro fixtures, instead of the relegation six-pointer at Vicarage Road. Hence whilst I've been royally spoiled until now having been able see 23 of our 28 matches, I would happily have given up a few of them to see Saturday's tussle.

As I've suggested before, the appropriate analogy for our current relegation battle is 'matchplay golf'. It's the points we earn relative to our competitors that is key, but unfortunately we find ourselves a few holes down with the clubhouse rapidly coming into view.

The Wigan result on Sunday was a not wholly unexpected hammer blow (no pun intended), but at least their Man City match-up this weekend ensures that a victory for the Addicks will see the gap close somewhat, and a draw would probably be the ideal result (because only two points are taken from the fixture). Sheffield United meanwhile play Everton who have quietly (to me at least) secured a spot just behind the European places, and they thus have plenty to play for. I would expect a resurgent Spurs to beat West Ham on Sunday, and thus we have a real opportunity to become the only member of the bottom three with scope to survive.

Unfortunately however, Watford refuse to accept their fate and their uber positive manager will send out a team of little quality, but full of honest endeavour that we will have to match. We should not lack confidence after the demolition of West Ham though, and we should have enough attacking flair to create the chances required for three points. Pards will be unable to field an unchanged side however, and the recalled Jonathan Fortune may well slot straight back in alongside El Karkouri (not an ideal state of affairs). Elsewhere the continued (and worryingly lengthy) absence of Andy Reid will however ensure an unchanged midfield and forward line, and rightly so.

Derek 'Killer' Hales (KillerWatch© -£721) is still to offer his prediction, but I will steer him towards a comfortable away win that leaves us with real hope. NY Addick predicts Watford 0, Charlton 3 (Bent D, Bent M, Ambrose); Att: 21875