Watford vs Portsmouth Prediction: Hornets to sting Pompey

Watford have been brilliant when playing at Vicarage Road this season in the EFL Championship. They are yet to be beaten and have won eight of their 10 matches here. They entertain Portsmouth on Thursday (15:00, Sky Sports) looking to keep this impressive unbeaten run on home soil going.

Pompey will be buoyed from their 4-1 win over Coventry City last time out, putting behind them their dismal 4-0 loss at the hands of Derby County. Read on for my Watford vs Portsmouth prediction, including the latest team news and match odds.

Watford vs Portsmouth Odds

Watford are 5/6, which has an implied probability of 54.5%, to win this fixture, seeing as the Hornets have won eight of their home games to date.

Portsmouth are valued at 16/5 (23.8%) to come away with the three points. Pompey have won just one of their 10 away trips in the second tier this season.

The draw is available at 11/4 (26.7%) but it has been a winning selection in four of Portsmouth's away games so far.

Both teams have scored in seven of Pompey's trips on the road this term and is is priced at 8/11 for Boxing Day.

Watford have opened the scoring in six of their 10 home games this campaign. The Hornets are 3/5 to score first here.

Football Odds

Team News

Watford defender Angelo Ogbonna was on the bench in the defeat to Burnley last time out after overcoming a hamstring injury that had him sidelined since October. It looks like he will continue to serve as an option from the bench as he builds up his match fitness. Therefore, Mattie Pollock and Ryan Porteous should continue their partnership in the heart of the backline.

Kevin Keben and Tom Dele-Bashiru both remain sidelined for the Hornets with knee problems.

Top scorer Vakoun Bayo should lead the line once again for Tom Cleverley's side on Thursday. He netted a brace against West Bromwich Albion on his last outing at Vicarage Road, so he will be aiming for more success when he faces Pompey.

Rocca Vata has been the man starting on the left flank for the past couple of matches, providing stern competition for Giorgi Chakvetadze. The latter has been playing more centrally as a result, so Cleverley now has two tricky dribblers on the left side of his attack.

Chakvetadze ws playing alongside Moussa Sissoko, who is playing slightly more advanced than the role he has had for much of the campaign to date. This leaves one midfielder to sit deep. Imran Louza was deployed there in the last home game but was dropped for Pierre Dwomoh last time out.

Kwadwo Baah was Watford's goalscorer at Turf Moor and he is set to continue on the right flank for this match.

For Portsmouth, they are still having to cope with a lengthy injury list which features Kusini Yengi, Mark O'Mahony, Conor Shaughnessy, Jordan Williams, Ibane Bowat and Jacob Farrell. Regan Poole was absent against Coventry owing to a hamstring issue so he is another set to miss out on Boxing Day.

Ryley Towler partnered makeshift defender Marlon Pack against the Sky Blues, so this partnership could continue in Hertfordshire. After netting four goals in that contest, Callum Lang will be full of confidence ahead of this trip. He should occupy the number 10 role once again in support of front man Colby Bishop.

Expect the width to be provided by Josh Murphy and Matt Ritchie. Zak Swanson made his first start since October last time out and John Mousinho could keep him at right-back against the Hornets.

Watford and both teams to score @ 13/5

Pompey may be spurred by their latest triumph, but I think they will be brought back down to Earth at Watford. They enjoyed a thumping home victory but it doesn't change their poor away record.

One win in 10 is not good and that will need to change if they wish to pull away further from the bottom three. However, I don't see that happening here.

Watford have been unbeaten at Vicarage Road so far and better teams than Pompey have tried to beat them and failed, such as West Brom, Sunderland and Middlesbrough.

Cleverley and his players seem to have everything covered on home soil, they know exactly what they're doing and I can't see a defeat coming here any time soon. They have good attacking players, some of whom I've already listed, and that should be more than enough to handle a side who struggle on their travels.

I have boosted the odds by adding both teams to score, though, as I can't ignore the fact Pompey netted four goals in their last game. Yes, they came from one player but it will still have an impact on the entire squad ahead of this contest.

Portsmouth have also scored in seven away games so far, including two of their last four. BTTS also struck in Watford's last home encounter, so I think we could be in for another clash with goals at both ends on Thursday.

Callum Lang anytime goalscorer @ 3/1

This man can help make that happen in my eyes. The former Wigan Athletic man will be spurred on by his four goals against Coventry and he will be hungry for more as he looks to help Pompey stay in the second tier.

He ran the Sky Blues ragged last time out and I do think he can pose some problems for Watford, despite their excellent home record. I must admit I did consider the Hornets' Bayo to back to get on the scoresheet here, but this price is far too tempting in my opinion.

Lang now has nine league goals (as does Bayo) for the season and only two players have scored more in Borja Sainz (15) and Josh Maja (10). He has now scored five in his last three league outings so he appears to be in a rhythm at the moment. I'm backing it to continue on Boxing Day.

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