Watford vs Cardiff preview: Andre Gray and Will Hughes out

Watford will be missing several players for their Premier League clash with Cardiff on Saturday.

Forward Andre Gray, midfielder Will Hughes, Adalberto Penaranda, defender Sebastian Prodl are all unavailable, while midfielder Etienne Capoue serves out his three-match ban.

Watford is on a six-match winless run, with their last victory coming against Huddersfield on October 27.
However, head coach Javi Gracia said: "I think in the last games we have made good performances.

"It wasn't enough to get the results we wanted. We have to keep going, to keep working hard and I think in the next games we will be able to prove this in the results. I am not concerned about that. I know to play this way, we will be able to do it."
Cardiff has climbed the table with three wins from their last five matches.

However, they are one of only two Premier League sides yet to win away from home this season.

Team news
As well as missing Gray, Hughes, Penaranda, Prodl, and Capoue, Watford are without Tom Cleverley.
The midfielder is close to a return after being sidelined since January with hamstring and Achilles problems but will be carefully managed.

Kenneth Zohore could return to the Cardiff squad.

The striker has taken part in training this week after being sidelined by a calf muscle injury, although Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock is undecided in terms of any involvement for him at Vicarage Road.

Jazz Richards, though, is set to remain sidelined because of hamstring trouble.

Match stats

This will be the first ever top-flight meeting between Watford and Cardiff, and the first in any competition since December 2014 (4-2 win for Watford in the second tier).

Cardiff City has lost just one of their previous seven games against Watford in all competitions (W3 D3), although that was in the most recent meeting (2-4 in December 2014).

Watford is winless in their last three games against Cardiff at Vicarage Road (D2 L1), with their last such win coming in December 2010 (4-1).

Watford has lost their last two Premier League home games - they've not lost three in a row at home in the top-flight since April 1988 (a run of five in a row).

Cardiff City is winless in their last nine Premier League away games (D1 L8), scoring just three goals and conceding 22 goals in that run.

Cardiff striker Danny Ward has scored four goals in four league appearances against Watford, while the only previous hat-trick of his professional career came at Vicarage Road back in May 2014 (for Huddersfield).

Troy Deeney is yet to score a goal against Cardiff City for Watford in six appearances, but should he score in this match then Cardiff will be the 45th different team that Deeney has scored against for the Hornets in all competitions.

Merson's prediction
Blimey, some tight games this week. Watford will be devastated after that late goal at Goodison Park. It was Tuesday morning when that Lucas Digne equalizer went in, wasn't it?

They are like a bag of Revels, Watford. You don't know what you're going to get. But I think they win here.

Cardiff has done great lately, and look hard to beat at home. They have to make that place a fortress because they are not going to get many away points.

Cardiff plays with a high tempo, but I just think Watford is a big, strong side that can look after themselves. They won't be bullied here.