Watford v Norwich City: Flores gunning for revenge

Quique Sanchez Flores has stressed Watford have a score to settle when they take on Norwich City at Vicarage Road in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Hornets, who ran out 3-2 winners at Aston Villa last weekend, were beaten twice by this weekend’s opponents in the Championship last term, losing 3-0 both at home and away.

Flores’ men go into Saturday’s encounter as slight favourites, though, and Flores is eagerly anticipating the visit of Norwich, even if he realises Alex Neil’s side will pose a stern test.

“We know about the history last year for Norwich against Watford, they won at home, they won away. They have a very good team and they played very well last year in the Championship, so we respect this team a lot,” Flores told Hornets Player. 

“We analysed Norwich and we found a very tough team, who drew against a very big team in Arsenal in their last game.

“They have adapted really well to the Premier League this year. Sometimes you have to change something with respect to the style you use in the Premier League. If your team is very competitive, you can fight against every single team.  

“Norwich in this moment are a very competitive team, they are very compact and they play with a strong block, so we need to think very well about what we want to do.

“We need to try from the beginning to transmit the power we have in our minds. We are fighting with the idea to be competitive, to manage the match in different situations, so it is always the same.

“We try to transmit passion and ambition, we try to connect with the stands as quick as possible, and of course we have the idea to win. From the beginning we want to transmit this idea.” 

Watford will probably have to make do without the likes of Joel Ekstrand (knee), Sebastian Prodl (shin) and Valon Behrami (knee), but Heurelho Gomes is expected to make the cut after shrugging off a neck injury.

Norwich, meanwhile, will be out to build on last Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal as they search for a second away league win of the campaign. 

Neil’s men sit six points behind Watford and must keep a close eye on the in-form Troy Deeney. The Watford striker has scored in four of his last five Premier League games, including in each of the last three.

Alexander Tettey (hip) and Matt Jarvis (knee) are doubts for the visitors. 

Key Opta stats:

– Norwich City have scored in 22 successive league meetings with Watford. 
– Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo have combined to create 23 goalscoring chances for each other in the Premier League this season, more than any other two players.
– Norwich have managed just one clean sheet in the Premier League this season, a joint league-low total (alongside Bournemouth).
– Norwich striker Lewis Grabban has not ended on the losing side in any of the last 24 games that he’s scored in (W19 D5) – the last time he lost a game he scored in was back in October 2013.