It has been a scrappy opening half of football from Watford and Blackburn Rovers and it is little surprise that neither side have been able to break the deadlock by the half-time interval.

Far too often poor final passes have denied either side from creating a clear opportunity and both teams have resorted to shots from distance which haven’t largely troubled either goalkeeper.

Slavisa Jokanovic made one change to the Hornets side which was beaten at Bournemouth.

Juan Carlos Paredes returned to the starting XI and took the place of Daniel Tozser, who dropped to the substitutes’ bench which also included Fernando Forestieri and Almen Abdi.

The Hornets started brightly and Miguel Layun fired a couple of early shots from distance wide.

The Mexican then came closest to breaking the deadlock in the opening 45 minutes. A counter-attack was led by Ikechi Anya and he played a neat pass into Layun.

He took a touch out of his feet but his near-post strike was saved by Jason Steele. From the resultant corner, Gabriele Angella headed into the arms of the Rovers goalkeeper.

Blackburn didn’t test Heurelho Gomes in the first 20 minutes but Jordan Rhodes did flick a corner over the crossbar and then sent a powerful volley just past the Brazilian’s post.

The visitors threatened aerially throughout the first half and Matt Kilgallon and Chris Brown both came close with headers which went narrowly wide.

Watford attempted to be positive in possession but their passing was sloppy and they struggled to break down a stubborn Blackburn defence.

The final chance of the opening period went to the visitors. Gianni Munari conceded a free-kick 20 yards out and Ben Marshall’s effort was tipped wide by Gomes.

It was as close as either side had come to opening the scoring before the half-time whistle was blown.

Watford: Gomes; Cathcart, Angella, Hoban; Paredes, Layun, Watson, Munari, Anya; Ighalo, Deeney.

Watford substitutes: Bond, Doyley, Pudil, Tozser, Abdi, Forestieri, Vydra.

Blackburn Rovers: Steele, Lowe, Hanley, Kilgallon, Olsson, Conway, Evans, Spearing, Marshall, Brown, Rhodes.

Blackburn Rovers substitutes: Eastwood, Baptiste, Spurr, Taylor, Cairney, King, Gestede.