Watford vs Sheffield Wednesday Prediction: Danny Rohl, the new Sheffield manager will be looking to turn things around for the side sitting at the bottom of the table

Watford will welcome Sheffield Wednesday at Vicarage Road in Game Week 12 of the English Championship. Danny Rohl, the new Sheffield manager will be looking to turn things around for the side sitting at the bottom of the table. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

Watford form

After the second international break of the season, Watford finds themselves in a challenging position in the Championship. Under the new management of Valerien Ismael, they have failed to start the 2023-24 season strongly and currently sit in 20th place with only 10 points from 11 games.

Their only victory came against Birmingham City, which took them to eight points from their first six matches. However, since then, they have been unable to secure another win, drawing against West Bromwich Albion and suffering three consecutive defeats to Leeds United, Middlesbrough, and Sunderland.

In their most recent match against Cardiff City, Watford fell behind but managed to equalize and earn a point thanks to Vakoun Issouf Bayo's goal. With the international break behind them, Watford is eager to return to winning ways and improve their position in the league.

Valerian Ismael is expected to have a full squad at his disposal for Watford's upcoming match, with the exception of injured winger Ken Sema. If Ismael decides to make changes to the team that drew with Cardiff, there will be fierce competition in every position. Ryan Porteous is competing with Francisco Sierralta and Wesley Hoedt for a spot in the centre of defence, while Imran Louza and Ismael Kone are fighting for starting positions in midfield. In the attacking department, Mileta Rajovic and Tom Ince are hoping to start, while Vakoun Issouf Bayo is expected to retain his place after scoring a goal in their previous match.

Watford Predicted Lineup

Bachmann; Ngakia, Porteous, Hoedt, Lewis; Kayembe, Livermore, Louza; Bayo, Rajovic, Martins

Sheffield Wednesday form

They will face Sheffield Wednesday, who are also hoping for a fresh start after the international break. The new manager Xisco Munoz has struggled to get the team going, with just three points from their first 10 matches. In their previous five games, they suffered three defeats and two goalless draws.

Now under the guidance of Darren Moore, Sheffield Wednesday is determined to secure their first league win of the season and avoid falling behind their rivals. With their current position in the league, they are already three points behind Rotherham United in 23rd place and seven points from safety.

On the other hand, Sheffield Wednesday's lineup is uncertain under new manager Danny Rohl. There are concerns over the fitness of attacker Josh Windass and captain Barry Bannan, although they are nearing full recovery. Midfielder Momo Diaby will remain sidelined due to injury. Marvin Johnson could feature after not being selected by previous manager Xisco Munoz, but it is unlikely he will start. Reece James or Akin Famewo will likely occupy the left side of the defence, and Di'Shon Bernard, Michael Ihiekwe, Bambo Diaby, and Dominic Iorfa are all competing to start in central defence.

In midfield, George Byers is expected to play a key role, with Will Vaulks, John Buckley, Tyreeq Bakinson, and Jeff Hendrick also in contention for starting positions. In attack, Josh Windass is hoping to return to the starting lineup alongside Michael Smith. 

Sheffield Wednesday Predicted Lineup

Vasquez; Palmer, Iorfa, Bernard, Famewo; Buckley, Byers, Vaulks; Windass, Smith, Musaba

Watford vs Sheffield Wednesday Expert Tips

Based on the quality of their squad, Watford is favoured to win the match. Despite Sheffield Wednesday's hopes for rejuvenation under new management, Watford's superior squad depth and potential for improvement after the break make them the likely victors at Vicarage Road.