Everton vs Watford
It’s been an eventful decade for Watford – most of it promising with some notable scalps, despite a lack of stability which has seen the club appoint more managers than I’ve had hot dinners during the same period.
The fact is though, for all bar one of the last six seasons, the Hertfordshire club has been in the Premier League for a sustained period.
Indeed, it has been the best period in the club’s history since the peak of the magical escalator ride that the masterly Graham Taylor took the club on during his first spell at the club.
A turning point from the late 1970s when singer, shareholder and lifelong Watford supporter Elton John became chairman (in 1976), and appointed Taylor as manager the following year.
From that moment, the club went on to achieve consecutive promotions between 1977 and 1979 and reached the First Division for the first time in its history in 1982.
Fast forward almost 40 years and the world of top-flight football is a very different ball game, yet Watford is still holding its own and battling it out amongst the big boys.
For how much longer though?
Talking Points
Certainly, for most of us in the outside world, the sacking of Xisco Munoz after just seven games seemed mad and unnecessary – especially so soon after he oversaw last term’s promotion.
Enter the ‘Tinkerman’, Claudio Ranieri who provided the Premier League’s most magical story of all time with Leicester City in 2016.
He will certainly need every ounce of his magic if he is to keep them in the top flight this time.
Indeed, in recent weeks Watford have shown little to suggest they will stay up, either in defeat at Leeds when they were underwhelming and lightweight or when they offered nothing in a 5-0 rout at home to Liverpool last weekend.
Everton by contrast have been impressive, despite being without key men, such as in their 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, although they were brought back to earth at home to West Ham last Sunday.
That ended their winning run in the league under new boss Rafa Benitez at Goodison Park and meant they slipped to seventh.
Will they bounce back with more Premier League highlights on Saturday?
Certainly, on current form, it’s hard to see Watford proving too obdurate.
History
Everton have never lost a home game to Watford in any competition (13 wins, two draws) – it’s the most they’ve ever faced a side at home without defeat in their history.
Watford have only beaten the Toffees five times. There have been a further four draws and 22 Everton successes.
They had not met until 1982 in the former First Division when the Hornets ran out 2-0 winners.
Their most famous meeting came two years later when Everton won by the same scoreline in the FA Cup Final – Graeme Sharp and Andy Gray (controversially) – the scorers.
Last time out – two seasons ago – Everton won this fixture with a solitary goal from Bernard and duly followed that up two months later with a 2-0 League Cup success at Goodison, courtesy of Mason Holgate and Richarlison.
Their most recent meeting was in February last year when the Toffees edged a five goal thriller at Watford who led 2-0 before conceding two first-half stoppage-time goals to Yerry Mina and then lost to a last-gasp Theo Walcott winner – a defeat which proved costly as Watford were relegated on the final day of the season.
Watford have won three of their past eight league games against Everton (one draw, four defeats), more than they had in their first 18 such meetings with the Toffees (two wins, three draws, 13 defeats).
Betting Tip
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Everton vs Watford | Half Time Full Time Home Home @ 2.42 |
| October 23, 22:00 (GMT+8) |
The SBOTOP Premier League betting odds make the Toffees overwhelming favourites and are priced 1X2 @ 1.62 and Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.16 and -1.25 @ 2.56.
Watford are much further out, both 1X2 @ 5.20 and Asian Handicap +0.75 @ 2.13.
The 1X2 draw is available @ 3.85, while a repeat of their last draw in 2018 – correct score 2-2 – is on offer @ 21.00.
A re-run of last season’s encounter – correct score 1-0 – will payout @ 5.60.
They’ve never played out a goalless draw before so if history is going to be made the correct score option will earn you a payday of @ 9.00
If there are goals, how about over 2.75 goals @ 2.31, total goal 0-1 @ 3.10, 2-3 @ 1.91 or 4-6 @ 3.75?
I am actually going to opt for a home success with a *** prediction of Half Time Full Time Home Home @ 2.42.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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