2:27pm Friday 26th February 2010
By Paul Fraser
WATFORD
Loach
Doyley Taylor Demerit Mariappa
Eustace Lansbury Cowie Harley
Graham Helguson
Carroll Best
Gutierrez Nolan Smith Guthrie
Van Aanholt Williamson Coloccini Simpson
Harper
NEWCASTLE
Newcastle subs (from): Krul (gk), R Taylor, Kadar, Enrique, Hall, Butt, Pancrate, Ranger.
Watford subs (from): Lee (gk), Travner, Hoskins, McGinn, Henderson, Jenkins, Hodson.
NEWCASTLE: Jose Enrique and Nicky Butt have both returned to training this week, but neither is expected to start this afternoon.
Enrique's recovery from a hamstring injury has been perfectly timed, as replacement left-back Patrick Van Aanholt will play the final game of his loan at Vicarage Road, before returning to Chelsea
at the start of next week. With Peter Lovenkrands absent with a hamstring injury sustained against Preston last weekend, Leon Best is in line for
only his third Newcastle start.
Suspensions: None
Injuries: S Taylor (knee), Barton (foot), Routledge (hamstring), Lovenkrands (hamstring), Ameobi (groin), Vuckic (ankle)
Last five league games: WWDLW
Leading league scorer: Nolan 11
Next game: vs Barnsley (H) 06/03/10
WATFORD: The Hornets are without loanee Tom Cleverley after the Manchester United midfielder was sent off in last weekend's 2-2 draw with Scunthorpe. Cleverley starts a three-match
ban this afternoon, while winger Will Buckley is also unavailable because of a thigh strain. The 20-year-old, who joined Watford from Rochdale in January, missed this week's reserves game against
Peterborough.
Suspensions: Cleverley
Injuries: Buckley (thigh)
Last five league games: DWLWL
Leading league scorer: Cleverley 10
Key Player: Jay Demerit - The American international will hope to face England in this summer's World Cup finals.
Last season: No corresponding game
League head to head: Newcastle 11, Watford 6, Draws 10
Referee: Tony Bates (Burslem) G24 Y67 R1 Ave: 2.83
Last Newcastle game: vs Huddersfield (H) 26/08/09 W4-3 Y5 R0
Odds: H5/2; A10/11; D11/5
It's a fact: Newcastle have won just one of their last 13 matches at Vicarage Road.
Comment by Paul Fraser: Newcastle haven't been great on their travels of late, but this is a chance to turns things around.
Prediction: 1-2
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