Watford will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing run of recent results when they host Stoke City at Vicarage Road on Wednesday. 

Vladimir Ivic had made an impressive start to his tenure with the Hornets, collecting 13 points from their opening six matches, but they're now winless in three and have slipped down to 6th after Saturday's shock defeat at Barnsley.

But it's on the road that Watford have been struggling - tasting victory just once five matches, with more than 60 percent of their points coming on home soil - so Ivic will be expecting a response here.

However, Stoke are heading in the other direction, and besides last Tuesday's blip at Swansea City, have been outstanding away from home.

The Potters have already won at Luton Town, Preston and drew with Millwall on the opening day - conceding just twice in the process.

Watford are bookies favourites here, but Sky Sports pundit David Prutton doesn't think that's how things will pan out, and has predicted a 1-0 Stoke win at Vicarage Road.

He told Sky Sports: "It has been a frustrating week for the Hornets, who will probably feel they should have got more than one point from trips to Wycombe and Barnsley, which could have seen them begin to put pressure on leaders Reading, who have now lost their unbeaten start.

"Everything is starting to come together for Michael O'Neill at the Bet365 Stadium and his side got back to winning ways with a 1-0 win over Rotherham, which came courtesy of a James McClean goal. They are within touching distance of the top six and I think they'll edge this one."

 

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The Verdict Watford are in a bad moment, but I have to disagree with Prutton here. A injury-time Bournemouth equaliser aside, and the Hornets would have a 100 percent record at Vicarage Road this season, which is why I think their impressive home record will continue here. Stoke have already kept four clean sheets this term, proving they'll be no pushovers, but I'm going for another 1-0 Watford win.