Watford vs Burnley Prediction & Betting Tips - Championship

Prediction published on 09/08/2022, 03:33  by Ioannis | Modified on 09/08/2022 at 03:33 in Championship Prediction

Watford host Burnley at the Vicarage Road for the third round of the Championship, in what would have been a Premier League encounter last season. The Hornets kicked off the new season in positive light, and after beating Sheffield they managed to secure a draw at the Hawthorns against West Brom, which places them joint-second behind Blackburn. There is a newfound confidence about Rob Edwards’ team that proves the right moves finally took place behind the scenes and during preseason. For the first time in many seasons, Watford managed to keep hold of their core of players and did not make too many transfer signings, which looks to have strengthened the squad. However, owing to their disastrous Premier League campaign last year, their recent record on home soil does not make for good reading. Besides the opening day win and the preparation friendlies, Watford are winless in thirteen competitive games at the Vicarage Road, losing a staggering eleven of them, yet the Championship is a totally different division, and they will have surely worked towards making that ground formidable again. 

Vincent Kompany’s Burnley also started the new campaign in positive fashion. After taking a classic Burnley away win against Huddersfield with 1-0, they secured a hard-fought draw at home against Luton. Despite both games featuring three goals in total, there is an evident shift in Kompany’s approach compared to Dyche’s, with Burnley being much more often on the front foot, something that can be seen from the 71% possession they registered in their last game. When it comes to their record on the road, the Clarets have won three of their last five, which also includes an away win against Watford at the end of April. They tend to do well at the Vicarage Road, where they have managed to stay unbeaten in their last four encounters there and win three of those, scoring six goals in the process.