PREM: West Ham v Watford preview

West Ham v Watford preview

Watford manager Javi Gracia is remaining calm over the shortage of goals from recognised strikers as he looks to make it back-to-back wins when his side face West Ham.

The Hornets ended a six-game winless streak by overcoming Cardiff 3-2 at Vicarage Road, but Troy Deeney continued his personal barren run against the Bluebirds.

Gerard Deulofeu, Jose Holebas and Domingos Quina all scored, and Gracia believes it not just the role of the forwards to get on the scoresheet.

Ahead of the visit to the London Stadium, the Spaniard said: "It's good for the team to choose different ways to score and not only depend on the strikers because sometimes all the players have to score, including wingers, midfielders, defenders, like Jose (Holebas) in the last game, and I think it's good for the team.

"I'm not worried about whether or not our strikers are scoring more goals because we create more chances in every game. More than the other teams I think. One day one player will score, another day someone else will score. It's not a problem for me."

West Ham will be looking to make it five Premier League wins on the trot for the first time since 2006.

"The most important thing is to be in the top six at the end of the season," said Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini.

"There are still 21 games to go. We are in a good moment now so we must try to take it game by game and add points."

West Ham forward Marko Arnautovic could be back in training next week, but the visit of Watford will come too soon.

The Austrian. who has scored five goals this season, suffered a hamstring injury against Cardiff on December 4 and was expected to be sidelined until well into the new year.

But Pellegrini revealed Arnautovic is ahead of schedule, meaning he could even be involved in the squad against Southampton on December 27 and Burnley three days later.

Lucas Perez (foot) will be assessed but Jack Wilshere, Ryan Fredericks (both ankle), Andriy Yarmolenko (Achilles), Carlos Sanchez (knee), Winston Reid (knee) and Manuel Lanzini (ACL) remain long-term absentees.

Gracia will continue to be without Andre Gray, Will Hughes, Adalberto Penaranda and Sebastian Prodl, all sidelined through injury, but Etienne Capoue is available against after suspension.