Sunday , 16 August 2026

Preston North End FC vs Watford FC, Championship 2023-24 REGULAR SEASON

Championship · 2023-24
Preston North End FC
1 – 5
Full Time
Watford FC
Sat 16 Dec 2023 · 15:00 UTC Deepdale HT 45' · FT 45'
Will Keane 27' 1–0
1–1 42' Vakoun Issouf Bayo
1–2 46' Matheus Martins
1–3 53' Edo Kayembe
1–4 71' Vakoun Issouf Bayo
1–5 77' Ismael Kone
Liam Millar 41' Y
Ben Whiteman 45' Y
Y 85' Jamal Lewis
Milutin Osmajic 90' Y

Overview

Match Preview

Preston North End FC vs Watford FC — Championship at Deepdale.

Match Details

  • Referee
  • Assistant 1
  • Assistant 2 Jonathan Hunt

Standings

# Team P Pts
1 Coventry City FC 46 95
2 Ipswich Town FC 46 84
3 Hull City AFC 46 73
4 Oxford United FC 46 47
5 Leicester City FC 46 46
6 Blackburn Rovers FC 1 1
7 Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 1 1
8 Queens Park Rangers FC 0 0
9 Millwall FC 0 0
10 Middlesbrough FC 0 0
11 Swansea City AFC 0 0
12 Charlton Athletic FC 0 0
13 West Bromwich Albion FC 0 0
14 Bolton Wanderers FC 0 0
15 Birmingham City FC 0 0
16 Sheffield United FC 0 0
17 Southampton FC 0 0
18 Wrexham AFC 0 0
19 Watford FC 0 0
20 Burnley FC 0 0
21 Cardiff City FC 0 0
22 West Ham United FC 0 0
23 Derby County FC 0 0
24 Norwich City FC 0 0
25 Preston North End FC 0 0
26 Stoke City FC 0 0
27 Lincoln City FC 0 0
28 Portsmouth FC 0 0
29 Bristol City FC 0 0
30 Sheffield Wednesday FC 46 0

Head-to-Head

2
5
3
Preston North End FC 10 games · Avg 2.4 goals Watford FC
Last 5 meetings
2023-12-16 Preston North End FC 1–5 Watford FC 2023-03-04 Watford FC 0–0 Preston North End FC 2022-08-20 Preston North End FC 0–0 Watford FC 2021-02-16 Preston North End FC 0–1 Watford FC 2020-11-28 Watford FC 4–1 Preston North End FC

Recent Form

Preston North End FC
DateOpponentH/A ScoreResult
16 Dec Watford FC H 1–5 L
12 Dec Huddersfield Town AFC A 3–1 W
09 Dec Norwich City FC A 0–0 D
01 Dec Queens Park Rangers FC H 0–2 L
28 Nov Middlesbrough FC A 0–4 L
25 Nov Cardiff City FC H 1–2 L
Watford FC
DateOpponentH/A ScoreResult
16 Dec Preston North End FC A 5–1 W
12 Dec Ipswich Town FC H 1–2 L
09 Dec Southampton FC H 1–1 D
02 Dec Hull City AFC A 2–1 W
28 Nov Norwich City FC H 3–2 W
25 Nov Leicester City FC A 0–2 L

Season Stats

Preston North End FC Watford FC
#25 Position #19
0 Points 0
0 Played 0
0 / 0 / 0 W / D / L 0 / 0 / 0
0 Scored 0
0 Conceded 0
+0 GD +0
– PPG –
– Win % –

Key Stats

50% Both Teams to Score
H2H (10 games)
50% Over 2.5 Goals
H2H history
0% Clean Sheets
Preston North End FC this season

Preston North End FC are 25th (0 pts). Watford FC are 19th (0 pts).

Goal Timing (This Season)

Preston North End FC
0-15
–/1
16-30
–/1
31-45
–/–
46-60
–/–
61-75
–/–
76+
1/–
■ Scored ■ Conceded

Events

Match Events

  • 0' The wait is over. Watford FC get us underway at Deepdale.
  • 5' Spectators are craving for more action. Both teams play very cautiously. They need to put some more energy.
  • 10' While players are taking a pause, let’s have a look at their stats. The teams met 0 times this season with winning -% of all matches.
  • 15' Both keepers have barely been tested. Preston North End FC and Watford FC are cancelling each other out in the centre of the park.
  • 20' Brad Potts needs to be pretty careful with his discipline considering 0 Red cards this season.
  • 25' Preston North End FC currently sit in the Array table. A result here could be decisive in the race for the top positions.
  • 27' Clinical. Composed. Brilliant. Will Keane makes it 1-0.
  • 32' The clock is ticking and both teams know a goal could change everything at this point.
  • 37' It is a cagey affair so far. Preston North End FC in their 3-4-1-2 trying to find a way past Watford FC's compact 4-1-4-1.
  • 41' The referee has no hesitation. Liam Millar is booked for Preston North End FC — Yellow card on 41.
  • 42' What a strike from Vakoun Issouf Bayo! The score is 1-1.
  • 45' Preston North End FC player sees a Yellow card in front of him.
  • 46' Matheus Martins makes no mistake. The score reads 1-2 and Watford FC are in front.
  • 51' Preston North End FC are keeping things exceptionally tight at the back. It will take something special to break them down.
  • 53' What composure from Edo Kayembe! The Congo DR international strokes it home. 1-3.
  • 58' Preston North End FC manager makes another effort to make the tables turned. Andrew Hughes is hanging Brad Potts on the field on 58 minute.
  • 59' Ched Evans is replacing Will Keane for the Preston North End FC side.
  • 64' A moment of individual brilliance could settle this. Both teams are waiting for that decisive action.
  • 67' Matheus Martins makes way for Matthew Pollock at the 67 minute mark. A tactical switch from Watford FC.
  • 68' The whistle greets Ken Sema as he departs to be replaced by Mileta Rajovic.
  • 71' A stunning finish from Vakoun Issouf Bayo — that came from absolutely nowhere!
  • 76' A tactical chess match is unfolding here. The question is which manager blinks first.
  • 77' Assisted by Vakoun Issouf Bayo with the perfectly-timed delivery and Ismael Kone makes no mistake. 1-5!
  • 80' A tactical swap from Watford FC — Rhys Healey on, Vakoun Issouf Bayo off on 80 minutes.
  • 82' A change in the Watford FC ranks — Ismael Kone exits the field as Giorgi Chakvetadze enters on 82.
  • 85' Jamal Lewis picks up a Yellow card and will need to be extremely careful for the remainder of this match.
  • 90' Milutin Osmajic has been a danger all night but risks an early exit having now seen a Yellow card on 90.
  • It finishes all square. Preston North End FC and Watford FC share the spoils 1-5.

Lineups

Preston North End FC Lineups

3-4-1-2

Starting XI

Bench

Coach Ryan Lowe

Watford FC Lineups

4-1-4-1

Starting XI

Bench

Coach Valerien Ismael

H2H

H2H Top Scorers

PlayerGoals
Milutin Osmajic 4
Joao Pedro 2
Vakoun Issouf Bayo 2
Troy Deeney 1
Quina 1
Will Keane 1
Edo Kayembe 1
Matheus Martins 1

Head to Head

2023-12-16 Preston North End FC 1–5 Watford FC 2023-03-04 Watford FC 0–0 Preston North End FC 2022-08-20 Preston North End FC 0–0 Watford FC 2021-02-16 Preston North End FC 0–1 Watford FC 2020-11-28 Watford FC 4–1 Preston North End FC

Preston North End FC Form

2023-12-16 Preston North End FC 1–5 Watford FC L 2023-12-12 Huddersfield Town AFC 1–3 Preston North End FC W 2023-12-09 Norwich City FC 0–0 Preston North End FC D 2023-12-01 Preston North End FC 0–2 Queens Park Rangers FC L 2023-11-28 Middlesbrough FC 4–0 Preston North End FC L 2023-11-25 Preston North End FC 1–2 Cardiff City FC L

Watford FC Form

2023-12-16 Preston North End FC 1–5 Watford FC W 2023-12-12 Watford FC 1–2 Ipswich Town FC L 2023-12-09 Watford FC 1–1 Southampton FC D 2023-12-02 Hull City AFC 1–2 Watford FC W 2023-11-28 Watford FC 3–2 Norwich City FC W 2023-11-25 Leicester City FC 2–0 Watford FC L

Predictions

Prediction accuracy
2 / 4
0.39 Preston North End FC xG
Expected Goals
Dixon-Coles · Bivariate Poisson · Neg. Binomial · Elo
1.42 Watford FC xG
I would bet for: Under — clean sheet likely 74% + Under 2.5 goals 73%

Match Result

✓ Correct
Preston North End FC15% Draw29% Watford FC56%
Actual: Watford FC win

Both Teams to Score

✗ Wrong
Yes26% 0% No74%
Avg goals/match: 1.81
Actual: Yes — both scored

Over / Under Goals

✗ O/U 2.5
Line Over Under
± 0.5 81%
19%
± 1.5 54%
46%
± 2.5 27%
73%
± 3.5 12%
88%
± 4.5 4%
96%

Double Chance

Preston North End FC or Draw
44%
Draw or Watford FC
85%
Preston North End FC or Watford FC
71%

Half-Time Result

✓ Correct
Preston North End FC6% Draw54% Watford FC40%
Actual: Draw at HT

Correct Score

✗ 1–5 not predicted
1 – 5
Actual
0 – 1
22.4%
0 – 0
18.6%
0 – 2
15.9%
1 – 1
9.5%
0 – 3
7.4%
1 – 2
6.4%
1 – 0
5.2%
1 – 3
3.2%
0 – 4
2.7%
2 – 1
1.6%
2 – 2
1.3%
1 – 4
1.2%

Asian Handicap — Preston North End FC

Handicap Preston North End FC covers Push Watford FC covers
-2.5 0% — 100%
-2 0% 1% 99%
-1.5 1% — 99%
-1 1% 7% 92%
-0.5 8% — 92%
+0.5 38% — 62%
+1 38% 30% 32%
+1.5 68% — 32%
+2 68% 19% 13%
+2.5 87% — 13%

Clean Sheet

Preston North End FC keeps clean sheet
25% ✓
Watford FC keeps clean sheet
68% ✗

Predictions are statistical estimates based on season form, H2H history, and a Poisson model. Not financial advice.