Watford – Middlesbrough

The Hornets will have a lot of trouble in the match against Middlesbrough

The teams, who played in different divisions last season, will meet in a head-to-head encounter at the Vicarage Road Stadium on Tuesday. Watford, along with Norwich, proved unprepared for the test of the Premier League and picked up just 23 points in 38 games, dropping to the Championship from a penultimate place well before the final round. Middlesbrough did not experience any major upheaval at the end of last season or in the off-season. The team finished the last season in the Championship in seventh place, five points from the play-off zone, and quietly prepared for the 2022/2023 championship. The bookmakers give almost equal odds of success to the opponents, with a slight tilt in favour of the home side. Watford in recent seasons have been the classic 'lift team', changing divisions almost every season. Having once again been relegated from the elite of English football, the Hornets have made payroll cuts, letting go of the club and selling half a dozen players cheaply. In return, several good players were added to Watford's squad: Baio from Charleroi, Manaj from Barcelona, Mario Gaspar from Villarreal and Hassan Kamara from Udinese. All of the above players are practising at the start of the season, but it's hard to call the Hornets' squad a well-rounded team at the moment. This is reflected in their performance, averaging just one goal per game and winning two of their six games. Unlike their opponents, Middlesbrough have spent their off-season working on strengthening the squad, rather than reducing their roster. A large number of players have been loaned or signed by Boro to the main squad. So far, the team is performing poorly for the seventh team in last season's league, but have lost just twice in six games in the Championship. Wilder's side beat Swansea at home last round, which will certainly improve their mood. Dele-Basheiru, Kalou, Cleverley and Lusa will not be available for the home side's match against Middlesbrough. In addition, Boro will be able to play in the second match, which is unlikely to put Watford in a comfortable position. The Hornets' prospects could also be adversely affected by their disrupted defensive play, which has allowed five goals in the last two meetings.