Aston Villa vs Watford preview

Team news, key stats and prediction ahead of Aston Villa vs Watford in the Premier League on Tuesday (kick-off 7.30pm).

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Team news

Aston Villa are again without a recognised striker for Tuesday's Premier League visit of Watford as the club is still tied up with paperwork for £8.5m Genk forward Mbwana Samatta.

Wesley is out for the season with a knee injury, Keinan Davis has only just returned to training after nearly three months out with a hamstring problem, while Jonathan Kodjia has been sold to Qatari side Al Gharafa.

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Villa are also without John McGinn (fractured ankle),Tom Heaton (knee) and Jed Steer (calf), while Lovre Kalinic is set to join Toulouse on loan.

Ismaila Sarr has been ruled out of Watford's trip to Villa Park. Sarr limped off with a hamstring injury in his side's goalless draw against Tottenham and faces a spell on the sidelines.

Danny Welbeck is closing in on a return but the game against Villa comes too soon for the former England international.

Will Hughes (knee) Sebastian Prodl (shin), Daryl Janmaat (knee), and Tom Cleverley (foot) remain sidelined.

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How to follow

Follow the action with our dedicated live blog. Highlights of the game will be published shortly after full-time on the Sky Sports website and app plus the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.

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Opta stats

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• Aston Villa have lost their last three Premier League meetings with Watford, having been unbeaten in their first four such games against the Hornets (W3 D1).
• Watford have scored three goals in each of their last three Premier League games against Aston Villa, winning each time. They'd failed to score in any of their first four against them in the competition (D1 L3).
• Aston Villa have kept a clean sheet in all three of their evening kick-offs at home in the Premier League this season (7pm or later), winning two and drawing one.
• Aston Villa have lost three of their last four home league games (W1), more than they had in their first seven at Villa Park this season (W3 D2 L2). They've shipped 13 goals in those three defeats, six more than they had in their first seven home games this term (7).
• Following their 3-0 win at Bournemouth in their last away game, Watford are looking to secure back-to-back league wins on the road for the first time since a run of three in September 2017.
• Watford are unbeaten in six Premier League games (W4 D2), keeping a clean sheet in four of them. Only once have they had a longer run without defeat in the top-flight (7 between April-May 1985).
• Watford have failed to score in a league-high 11 different Premier League games this season - one more than they did in the whole of 2018-19 (10).
• Watford's Troy Deeney has scored five goals in his three Premier League games against Aston Villa, including two in the reverse fixture at Vicarage Road. Against no other opponent has the Watford captain scored more goals in the competition.
• As well as having the most goals (7) and assists (5) of any Aston Villa player in the Premier League this season, Jack Grealish has also had more shots (45) and created more chances (54) than any of his teammates.
• Excluding Anfield, new Aston Villa goalkeeper Pepe Reina has kept more Premier League clean sheets at Villa Park than he has at any other ground in the competition (5 in 8 games).

Charlie Nicholas' prediction

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Jack Grealish came to Aston Villa's rescue once again, and they earned a very decent point in the end at Brighton. They sometimes play a back five when they play away from home so are nice and compact. They have a few on the road to recovery, but Dean Smith is in the market to try to get a forward that could give them something, anything. They need Grealish to get them out of this situation once more.

Watford have been breathtaking under Nigel Pearson. I know Troy Deeney missed a penalty, but the game was there to be won [against Tottenham] and Watford did not see it through. I am finding it hard to go against Watford at the minute, although I am edging towards Aston Villa slightly, but I will play it safe and back another draw here.

CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-2 (12/1 with Sky Bet)

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