PREM: Watford v Stoke City preview

Watford v Stoke City preview

Watford could be without defender Younes Kaboul for the Premier League clash at home to Stoke on Sunday.

Hornets boss Walter Mazzarri revealed Kaboul suffered a knock in training and may miss out against the Potters.

Craig Cathcart (groin) and Isaac Success (foot) are longer-term absentees, while Odion Ighalo is likely to be on the bench again having been dropped for last weekend's win over champions Leicester.

Stoke will be without influential midfielder Joe Allen on Sunday.

The Welshman, the Potters' top scorer this term, is suspended, leaving boss Mark Hughes light in the midfield department given Glenn Whelan (calf) is a doubt and Geoff Cameron (knee) remains out.

Full-back Phil Bardsley (knee) will miss a number of weeks, along with Ibrahim Afellay (knee), though England international goalkeeper Jack Butland (ankle) is close to a comeback.

Watford boss Walter Mazzarr says "If you remember what I said at the beginning when I arrived, I said that we only have to think about us, we don't think about the other teams.

"We need to do the best on the pitch, game by game, and improve every day in training and in the games. We don't have to look what position we are in but just concentrate on the following game.

"Believe me, you can even ask my players if you don't, what I want to teach the players and what I'm trying to do is give them the mentality that immediately after we win one game we forget about it and think about the next one.

"We are already thinking about Stoke, they are a good team, not only strong but technical as well and we are only thinking about them now."

Teams

Watford (from): Gomes, Gilmartin, Pantilimon, Mariappa, Kaboul, Sinclair, Britos, Prodl, Janmaat, Holebas, Zuniga, Amrabat, Behrami, Capoue, Guedioura, Watson, Doucoure, Pereyra, Deeney, Ighalo, Okaka.

Stoke (from): Given, Grant, Shawcross, Martins Indi, Pieters, Muniesa, Whelan, Adam, Imbula, Bojan, Shaqiri, Sobhi, Arnautovic, Walters, Bony, Diouf, Crouch.