Watford and Swansea meet at Vicarage Road with the visitors looking to prolong their excellent start to the season against so far winless opponents.
The Swans come into the game on the back of a third consecutive league victory over Manchester United, and will feel that this is another winnable game that could establish themselves at the top end of the table.
Garry Monk will be aware that Quique Sanchez Flores’ Watford have yet to concede at home this season though and that a win will be no easy task.
The Hornets have struggled for goals so far, failing to score since their double at Everton on the opening day, but look solid at the back. Although it’s only early in the campaign, Flores has proved himself to be tactically proficient.
This should be a far more open game than the two 0-0 draws at Vicarage Road so far this season, with Swansea looking to go out and attack the game, and that should give the Hornets as much chance of victory as the visitors.
Key battle – Jefferson Montero v Allan Nyom
Swansea will be desperately hoping that their explosive winger is fit to return for this game after his performances in the early weeks secured their excellent start to the season.
Montero played a crucial role in positive results against Chelsea and Newcastle, and will feel that newly-promoted opposition are further prey to feast upon.
However, he has not yet run into Cameroon international Allan Nyom, who the majority of onlookers would name as Watford’s star man so far this season.
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The summer signing from Udinese has impressed with his physicality and running power, no winger getting the better of him so far this season – in fact Raheem Sterling had to be moved by Manuel Pellegrini before making an impact in the Hornets’ recent clash with Manchester City.
This is a further test of Nyom’s capabilities – but he will relish the challenge against one of the league’s in-form wide-men.
Team news
Flores’ main dilemna coming into this one will be whether to throw his deadline day signings straight into the action. Obbi Oulare, Victor Ibarbo and Adlene Guedioura come into the equation for the hosts, but will not necessarily all face the action immediately.
Watford Expected XI (4-2-3-1): Gomes; Nyom, Prodl, Cathcart, Holebas; Capoue, Behrami; Ibarbo, Jurado, Abdi; Deeney.
Monk will be hoping to welcome Montero back into the frame, while spine of the team Ashley Williams and Jonjo Shelvey should be on a high after respective international successes.
Swansea City XI (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Naughton, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Shelvey, Cork; Ayew, Sigurdsson, Montero; Gomis.
Head-to-head
Swansea have the edge in terms of the head-to-head record, winning 19 of the previous meetings between the sides with Watford claiming just 13 victories.
The Hornets do have the edge at Vicarage Road though, having won 10 of the 21 games between the pair in Hertfordshire, with the visitors on top just five times.
Previous meeting
The two sides last met in the Championship back in March 2011, in a campaign which would end in glory for Swansea.
On their home patch, Brendan Rodgers’ Swansea side were largely unstoppable but a plucky Watford outfit, led by Malky Mackay, earned themselves a point late on in this one.
Stephen Dobbie opened the scoring with a poked finish midway through the first half, and Swansea appeared to be on their way to a comfortable home win over a depleted Watford side.
But star man Danny Graham popped up for the visitors with a 78th minute equaliser to the delight of the small travelling contingent on a cold Tuesday night.
Graham would soon be back with Rodgers, signing for the Swans in a club record move that summer, and Hornets’ boss Mackay would join them in Wales – taking the reins at Cardiff.
Prediction
This really should be a bit more entertaining than the hosts’ outings at Vicarage Road so far this season, not least because Swansea will show more intent on the road than ether West Brom or Southampton.
That should help Watford though, and we see goals going in at both ends.
Watford 2 Swansea 2
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