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We head into springtime with almost thirty Premier League games played before the coronavirus outbreak and the Hornets are, once again, involved in a relegation dog fight with no certainties next season.

Nigel Pearson’s side won only six of their first 29 league games and sit level on points with AFC Bournemouth in the bottom three. The squad have shown glimpses of what they are capable of this season, picking up some important points since summer, but a lack of consistency means their future is uncertain.

Hornets lack a sting in their tail

Six wins and nine draws against 14 defeats has Watford sitting 17th, level on 27 points with The Cherries. They are only two better than Aston Villa in 19th and six points above bottom club Norwich. The Canaries will be playing Championship football next term, that much has been obvious for quite some time. Any two of five teams – Watford, Brighton, West Ham, Bournemouth and Aston Villa could be joining them come the final count.

The six wins for Watford is the second lowest in that relegation group of five. They have conceded 44 goals which is the fewest conceded behind Brighton’s 40. The real problem for Watford so far this season has been lack of goals. They have managed to hit the net just 27 times and, worryingly, that tally makes them the league’s second lowest scorers behind Crystal Palace on 26.

To make matters worse, Watford were beaten 1-0 by The Eagles in their opening game in March, beaten by a single goal from Jordan Ayew who broke the deadlock on the 28th minute. One of the reasons for the last loss against Crystal Palace was their inability to create goal scoring chances. They finished that match in the capital with just three shots on target despite having the lion’s share of possession.

Not all doom and gloom

It hasn’t been all doom and gloom for the Watford supporters this season. The side have given fans reason to cheer on occasion, but those highlights have been few and far between in 2020. There’s no doubt the talent is there, but the consistency needed to climb the table is lacking.

Pearson’s battlers did pull off a memorable win over Liverpool in February, beating the league leaders at Vicarage Road to inflict the reds’ first loss of the season. Written off by everyone before kick-off, Watford sent shockwaves throughout the Premier League. Ismaila Sarr notched a double before fans favourite Troy Deeney chipped in with a third to kill off the champions in-waiting. They certainly didn’t look a team struggling for goals that day.

The victors ended that match with less than 30% of the overall possession and only five shots on target, but they made them count. The defence limited Jurgen Klopp’s side to just one shot at goal, goalkeeper Ben Foster crediting his team for sticking to their game plan. The shot-stopper called for the team to find that form more often.

Betting suggests safety is possible

Will Watford beat the drop and retain their place in the Premier League for next season? You can have your say by taking chance on the survival chances of the team at betting sites and mobile apps. As you would expect, major bookmakers have had their say and it doesn’t look good for Watford.

The current betting odds has the Hornets near the top of the Premier League relegation market. They are fifth in line; however, traders believe they could secure safety at the expense of Norwich, Aston Villa and Bournemouth. As with any top-flight relegation battle, there are more twists and turns yet to come.

Pearson will demand more from his players as the pressure builds, looking for the team to rediscover the performance shown against Liverpool on a more regular basis. A tricky run-in lies ahead once (and if) the league resumes, Watford due to face Leicester, Burnley and Southampton so fans will hope for, at least, four points.

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