Cardiff City vs Watford predictions: Hornets can raid Welsh capital
- Watford are 13 points above Cardiff in the standings
- Cardiff have nine defeats in 18 games
- Recommended Bet: Watford to win
Cardiff enjoyed a productive October but a five-game winless run means they go into the latest round of fixtures just two points clear of danger in the Championship.
The Bluebirds host a Watford side who are unbeaten in four and pushing for promotion. The visitors sit in sixth place but their road form will be a worry for boss Tom Cleverley, as Watford have managed just two wins in nine attempts on their travels.
Team news
Cardiff caretaker coach Omer Riza faces one of his former clubs as he was a member of the Watford coaching set-up until March this year.
Riza has a few selection headaches for this reunion with his former employers as David Turnbull picked up an injury in the stalemate with Coventry and is set to miss out, while veteran midfielder Aaron Ramsey is a long-term absentee.
Tom Dele-Bashiru and Angelo Ogbonna remain sidelined for the Hornets and Ryan Andrews is a doubt.
The stats
Cardiff are winless in five, with three defeats, while Watford have won four of their last seven games (D2, L1).
The Bluebirds have gone six games without keeping a clean sheet.
Over 2.5 goals has been a winning bet in seven of Watford's last eight away games in all competitions.
Prediction
Cardiff enjoyed the full benefit of a new-boss-bounce when Riza took interim charge as they embarked on a six-game unbeaten run, including four wins, but they have struggled since.
The Welsh outfit are now winless in five, losing three of those games, and they look vulnerable ahead of the visit of a defensively sound Watford side.
The Hornets need to find a way to improve on their away form if they are to sustain this promotion challenge and a trip to Cardiff looks like a good chance to pick up a much-needed road win.
Watford were held to a 0-0 draw by struggling QPR at Vicarage Road last time out, but on the balance of play, they were perhaps unlucky.
Cleverley's troops did at least record a third clean sheet in four games and a shut-out could be the key to claiming maximum points away to this porous Cardiff side.
The Bluebirds have gone six games without a shutout of their own and they have shipped five goals in total across their last two home games, defeats to QPR and Blackburn.
One goal may be enough to win this game and Watford are the form team here with two wins and two draws in their last four games, so as the clear underdogs, a win for Watford stands out.
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