Former Birmingham City defender starts against Blades (From Watford Observer)

Former Birmingham City defender starts against Blades

7:28pm Tuesday 2nd February 2010

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NEW signing Martin Taylor, as expected, makes his Watford debut tonight as the Hornets bid to end their seven-game winless streak against Sheffield United at Vicarage Road.

The free transfer from Birmingham City links up with Jay DeMerit at the heart of the defence, meaning Adrian Mariappa moves to right-back and the unlucky Lee Hodson is left out of the matchday 18 for the first time this season having been rested by Malky Mackay.

That is the only change from the Hornets’ last outing – the last-gasp 3-2 defeat at Blackpool – so another new recruit, Stephen McGinn, has to settle for a place on the bench, but the third transfer window arrival, Will Buckley, is not involved.

Unlike their opponents, the Blades were in action on Saturday and saw their three-game winning sequence in the league ended by a 3-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

Boss Kevin Blackwell makes two changes from that loss, one of which is enforced following Kyle Walker’s last-minute recall from his loan move by Tottenham Hotspur last night.

Derek Geary takes his place in the back-line and the other change is also in defence, with loan recruit Nyron Nosworthy replacing Jonathan Fortune.

That means Hornets old boys Darius Henderson and Jordan Stewart both start, but the fit-again Lee Williamson has to be content with a place on the bench.

To keep up to date with all the action as it unfolds this evening, click here.

Watford: Loach; Mariappa, DeMerit, Taylor, Doyley; Cowie, Eustace, Jenkins, Lansbury; Cleverley, Helguson. Substitutes: McGinn, Graham, Harley, Lee, Bennett, Hoskins, Bryan.

Sheffield United: Bunn; Geary, Morgan, Nosworthy, Stewart; Cresswell, Harper, Montgomery, Quinn; Ward, Henderson. Substitutes: France, Evans, Yeates, Williamson, Bennett, Fortune, Camara.

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