Watford v Manchester United team news & stats

Mark Holmes
Wayne Rooney: Among absentees for Manchester United at Watford

Wayne Rooney: Injury blow for United captain

Manchester United have won nine straight games against Watford but will be without several key players at Vicarage Road on Saturday.

Team news

Watford are likely to be without Jose Manuel Jurado, who has a hamstring injury, and also Sebastian Prodl, who suffered a calf injury while playing for Austria.

Manchester United, meanwhile, have suffered even worse luck on the injury front, with Louis van Gaal confirming at his press conference on Friday that Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial, Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini and Antonio Valencia will all miss the game.

Martial and Rooney, who is ill, could return against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but Valencia’s injury has been described as “long-term”.

Kick-off at Vicarage Road is at 12.45pm.

Opta stats

  • Manchester United have won the last nine matches in all competitions against Watford, with the Hornets’ last win coming back in September 1986.
  • Wayne Rooney has scored three goals in two appearances against the Hornets in all competitions.
  • Rooney needs one more goal to become Manchester United’s outright second-highest-scorer in all competitions; he’s currently tied with Denis Law on 237, 12 behind Bobby Charlton.
  • Watford have suffered just two defeats in their last nine league games at Vicarage Road, winning four and drawing three.
  • However, United have lost just one of their last eight Premier League games (W5 D2).
  • Louis van Gaal’s charges have now gone five games in all competitions without conceding a goal (555 mins); they last enjoyed a longer run of clean sheets between the end of 04/05 and start of 05/06 (six games in total).
  • On the other hand, United have failed to find the back of the net in three of their last five top-flight games.
  • United have the best chance conversion rate of any team in the Premier League this season (20%).
  • However, only Sunderland (79) have fired in fewer shots than the Red Devils (85, excluding blocked attempts).
  • Since debuting for Manchester United in January 2014, Juan Mata has been involved in more Premier League goals than any other player at the club (30).

Predictions

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