Watford vs Leicester Preview: How to Watch on TV, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News

Saturday's early kick off sees Watford entertain Leicester at Vicarage Road, with the two sides having very different agendas for the Premier League run-in.

The Foxes have enjoyed their best campaign since...well, since they won the league four years ago, with Jamie Vardy, James Maddison and a myriad of others impressing, and have a healthy advantage in the race for Champions League qualification.

Watford are on their third manager of the season with relegation avoider Nigel Pearson and the appointment has gone well thus far, even if the remarkable 3-0 victory over champions-elect Liverpool in February was followed by a drab loss at Crystal Palace. They're sat 17th currently, out of the bottom three on goal difference.

Watford are the only side to beat Liverpool this season / Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Where to Watch

When Is Kick Off? Saturday 20 June
What Time Is Kick Off? 12.30 (BST)
Where Is it Played? Vicarage Road
TV Channel/Live Stream? BT Sport (UK), FuboTV (US)
Referee? Craig Pawson

Team News

Lockdown has not been kind to Watford and they have a number of notable absentees for Saturday's match.

Attacking midfielder Gerard Deulofeu is out, along with defender Daryl Janmaat and forward Isaac Success. There are doubts over several others, including Roberto Pereyra and Will Hughes, though both are expected to be involved.

Crucially, captain and talisman Troy Deeney is back after initially sitting out contact training because of coronavirus concerns.

Troy Deeney is back to lead the Hornets / Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Leicester have fewer worries, with only long term absentees Daniel Amartey and Ricardo Pereira definitely out. Dennis Praet is a doubt with calf problem, though if he isn't fit for the weekend he should be available to face Brighton on Tuesday.

There are slight concerns over the fitness of Ryan Bennett, Harvey Barnes and Ayoze Pérez, but all three are expected to be in the squad.

Predicted Lineups

Watford: Foster; Femenia, Kabasele, Cathcart, Masina; Hughes, Capoue; Sarr, Doucoure, Pereyra; Deeney.

Leicester City: Schmeichel; Justin, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell; Ndidi; Pérez, Maddison, Tielemans, Barnes; Vardy.

Head to Head Record

Leicester lead the all time head-to-head with 30 wins to Watford's 21, with 17 draws between the teams. In the Premier League era, the Foxes are comfortably ahead with six wins to Watford's three.

Jamie Vardy scored a penalty the last time the sides met / Marc Atkins/Getty Images

The last meeting was in November, when a Vardy penalty and a last minute strike from Maddison proved enough for Leicester to grab all three points over a manager-less Watford to maintain their top four status going into the Christmas period.

Recent Form

Nigel Pearson has turned the tide at Vicarage Road since taking over / Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

Watford have had a typical Watford season, with countless managerial changes, Troy Deeney saying what he thinks, and inconsistent form, all ranging from the downright awful to, at times, the outstanding.

Since Pearson took over in December, the Hornets have been impressive against the top sides, picking up points against Wolves, Spurs and famously Liverpool. But it's against the teams around them that they have struggled, with defeats to Aston Villa and Palace leaving them in need of positive results and fast.

Maddison and Vardy have led from the front for the Foxes this season / Michael Regan/Getty Images

Leicester were looking set to challenge Manchester City for second place at one stage and could still do so if results go their way, but have fallen away from the top two since the start of 2020, mainly due to the loss of Wilfred Ndidi and Vardy to injuries.

To complicate matters, they had tough fixtures before lockdown, but came out of them with a lot of credit after a narrow defeat to Manchester City and draws with Chelsea and Wolves.

Both sides' recent form in all competitions is below.

Watford

Crystal Palace 1-0 Watford (7/3)
Watford 3-0 Liverpool (29/2)
Manchester United 3-0 Watford (23/2)
Brighton 1-1 Watford (8/2)
Watford 2-3 Everton (1/2)

Leicester

Leicester 4-0 Aston Villa (9/3)
Leicester 1-0 Birmingham (4/3)
Norwich 1-0 Leicester (28/2)
Leicester 0-1 Manchester City (22/2)
Wolves 0-0 Leicester (14/2)

Prediction

Leicester look the stronger side going into this fixture / PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

It could be a difficult afternoon for Pearson when his old team visits Vicarage Road, with Leicester's big guns back and ready to unleash their counter attacking style on one of the league's shakiest defences.

Ben Foster will need to have another of his dream days in goal to prevent the Foxes scoring at least once and, although Watford will no doubt give all of the usual fight they bring at this time of the season, the away side are strong favourites here.

Prediction: Watford 1-3 Leicester