Watford had encouraging results in pre-season ahead of the 2019-20 campaign, winning three of their four pre-season games, including wins against Bayer Leverkusen and Real Sociedad. Manager Javi Gracia has made a few good signings, including winger Ismaïla Sarr, striker Danny Welbeck, and experienced central defender Craig Dawson.
The Hornets face Brighton & Hove Albion at home in their opening fixture of the new Premier League season and will hope to get off to as good a start as they did last season when they won their first four matches in the league.
PREDICTED WATFORD LINEUP vs BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION (4-2-2-2)
Goalkeeper
Ben Foster, one of the Hornets’ most important players last season will start this season once again as the No. 1 and will feature against Brighton.
Defence
Central defender Craig Dawson, who was signed from West Bromwich Albion will most likely be Gracia’s first-choice centre-back and he will start alongside either Craig Cathcart, Christian Kabasele, or Adrian Mariappa. In the last pre-season game of the season against Real Sociedad, Dawson started the game alongside Cathcart and that could be the central defensive pair against Brighton as well.
Kiko Femenía has also been a constant fixture at right-back in pre-season and he could start ahead of Daryl Janmaat, but there are no doubts as to who will start at left-back – 35-year-old Jose Holebas, who had a great 2018-19 season.
Midfield
Watford manager Javi Gracia’s narrow midfield structure will continue this season as well with Étienne Capoue and Abdoulaye Doucouré acting as the deeper central midfielders. Doucoure was rumoured to be a target for Everton but Watford have been able to keep hold of their star midfielder. Ahead of them, Will Hughes will play in an attacking midfield role and will be joined by Ken Sema or Roberto Pereyra.
Pereyra, who was another star for Watford last season, only returned to training last week after his exploits with Argentina in Copa America. Sema will most likely start the game against Brighton.
Attack
New signing Danny Welbeck will not be match fit which means that captain Troy Deeney will start upfront and he will most likely be joined by Gerard Deulofeu, although Andre Gray could be a surprise pick after being among the goals in pre-season.
