Match thread - Watford v NUFC

[Toondes]

Newcastle's penultimate away game of the season takes them to Vicarage Road on Saturday for a 3pm kick-off.

United's allocation of 2,000 tickets is sold out.

Coral match betting here (mobile) here (desktop)

NUFC: Injury victims Ciaran Clark and Christian Atsu are out of the trip and Atsu will miss the remainder of the season following knee surgery.

Islam Slimani commences a three game ban that ends his season but Mikel Merino is available again. Jesus Gamez and Massadio Haidara were in the squad - the Spaniard last featuring in the PL in September and the Frenchman not kicking a ball in the top-flight since a 6-2 home victory over Norwich in October 2015.

WFC: Roberto Pereyra returns but Nathaniel Chalaboah, Andre Carrillo, Stefano Okaka and Tom Cleverely are all absent. Up front it looks like a choice between Andre Gray and Troy Deeney, with both now available.

Ahead of our visit, the Hornets made the short trip to Wembley on Monday night to face Spurs, losing 2-0.

That leaves Javier Gracia's side winless in their last seven games and without a goal to their name in 299 minutes.

Referee: Roger East - second appearance of the season for the Wiltshire whistler, following the 2-2 stalemate at Bournemouth.

This will be his third Hornets v Magpies contest, having taken charge of their 2-1 win at SJP in September 2015 and 0-1 FA Cup exit in Hertfordshire four months on.

UK TV: None

Overseas TV:
Astro SuperSport 2
BeIN Sports Connect New Zealand
BeIN Sports MENA 7 HD
Cable TV Channel 603/604 Hong Kong
Canal+ Sport Online (Poland)
DAZN (Japan)
DigiTurk Play (Turkey)
DIRECTV Sports Caribbean
DIRECTV Sports South America
Flow Sports App
HotStar (India)
NBC Sports Gold (USA)
Optus Sport (Australia)
Sky HD Mexico
SKY Net Sports 3
Sports Navi Live (Japan)
SSports China (English commentary)
SuperSport 11 (Za) +HD
SuperSport Maximo (South Africa)
Watch ESPN Brazil

UK Radio: None

Local Radio: Live on BBC Radio Newcastle

Travel: The Circle Line is closed for repairs on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. If you intend to travel to Watford on the tube, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City Line services runs between Kings Cross and Baker Street.

Stats:

Magpies @ Vicarage Road - all-time:
2015/16 Lost 1-2 Lascelles
2015/16 Lost 0-1 (FAC)
2009/10 Won 2-1 Coloccini, Carroll
2006/07 Drew 1-1 Dyer
2006/07 Drew 2-2 (5-4 pens) Sibierski, Parker (LC)
1999/00 Drew 1-1 Dabizas
1992/93 Lost 0-1
1991/92 Drew 2-2 Kelly, Hunt
1990/91 Won 2-1 Anderson, Quinn
1989/90 Drew 0-0
1988/89 Lost 0-1 (FAC)
1988/89 Drew 2-2 Brock, Mirandinha (FAC)
1988/89 Lost 1-2 McDonald (FMC)
1987/88 Drew 1-1 Anderson
1986/87 Lost 0-1
1985/86 Lost 1-4 OG
1984/85 Drew 3-3 Beardsley, Wharton, McDonald
1981/82 Won 3-2 Varadi, Todd 2
1980/81 Drew 0-0
1979/80 Lost 0-2
1978/79 Lost 1-2 Pearson (FLC)
1923/24 Won 1-0 Seymour (FAC)

Full record v Watford:



Latest Premier League fixtures:

Fri 04.05.2018:
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 Manchester United

Sat 05.05.2018:
Stoke City v Crystal Palace (12.30pm) Sky
Bournemouth v Swansea City (3pm)
Leicester City v West Ham (3pm)
Watford v Newcastle (3pm)
West Bromwich Albion v Spurs (3pm)
Everton v Southampton (5.30pm) BT

Sun 06.05.2018:
Manchester City v Huddersfield Town (1.30pm) Sky
Arsenal v Burnley (4.30pm)
Chelsea v Liverpool (4.30pm) Sky

[bodacious benny]

Ive got a feeling we'll sneak this one 1-0.

[Southern fairy]

Not confident. Depends what Watford turn up probably. But I think we're mentally already 'on the beach'

[Chappy]

Not confident. Depends what Watford turn up probably. But I think we're mentally already 'on the beach'

This. I think our season is over now.

[krully]

Not confident. Depends what Watford turn up probably. But I think we're mentally already 'on the beach'

Hard to play when jonjo is wearing flip flops

[TJR]

I think this will be a poor game. Both sides have nothing to play. The season is over. Essentially it is nothing more than a friendly.

Only way I can see it being intresting is if we make a lot of changes (which Rafa has hinted on this week). The squad players who want to stay will want/need to impress and those who want to leave or have been told they are no longer needed might want to impress potential buyers.

If I was Rafa I'd be tempted to make 11 changes. We know that the first 11 are good enough based on what a pretty much unchanged side has achieved since January. Now they pulled off a magnificent achievement, they seem to have subconsciously switched off a bit. It's a nothing game so might as well see what the squad can do.

[Chappy]

We've never won a top flight away game against Watford... didn't know that.

[Donkey Toon]

Our boys are on the beach already whilst Watford still need a few more points to guarantee safety.

I'm guessing they will be wearing slightly less sun-tan lotion and their flip flops will be better for kicking. Narrow win for Watford.

[Toondes]

We've never won a top flight away game against Watford... didn't know that.

You did , ........ you just told us

[Chappy]

We've never won a top flight away game against Watford... didn't know that.

You did , ........ you just told us

[Toondes]

Fantastic defending

[The Deluded Pablo Diego Jose Francisco]

1-0 down already ....

[Blue & Maroon]

Good start. We're never going to score.

[Chappy]

Murphy starting

[Don Sholeone]

Murphy starting

Yup, it's disgraceful really, now we are safe it really isn't the time to give others a chance

[Chappy]

Murphy starting

Yup, it's disgraceful really, now we are safe it really isn't the time to give others a chance

He's s***.

[Heisen]

Why do teams who are bang out of form always rediscover it against us

[Heisen]

We couldn't be more on holiday if we all took out towels and lay on the pitch sunbathing

[The Deluded Pablo Diego Jose Francisco]

We couldn't be more on holiday if we all took out towels and lay on the pitch sunbathing

To be fair, it is a cracking day!

[Toondes]

Perez has a first touch like a clumsy rapist