Leicester v Watford: Foxes to show their teeth in home clash with Hornets

9May 2013

England - The Championship

Andy Tongue expects Leicester to give Watford a real fight in their semi-final first leg

Leicester v Watford

Thursday May 9, 19:45 GMT

Live on Sky Sports One

Quite how Nigel Pearson's side managed to scramble into sixth spot after winning just twice in their last 13 games is a mystery but thanks to Anthony Knockaert's stoppage-time goal at the City Ground on Saturday here they are and with nothing to lose they could prove to be dangerous customers. After an awful February and March they did improve slightly in the final month of the season and a vital win at home to Bolton along with those final day heroics in Nottingham saw them squeeze into the final playoff place. They've not kept a clean sheet for 14 games but have found the net with increasing regularity themselves lately.

Watford

Having blown their chance of automatic promotion, the Hornets have to lift themselves for the playoffs. There is something of a myth that a side who just missed out on second spot don't win the playoffs but the third-placed side has triumphed in five of the last seven seasons in the Championship and of their three rivals only Brighton could claim to be playing anywhere near their best. Gianfranco Zola will be desperately hoping experienced stopper Manuel Almunia is fit after the goalkeeping nightmare his team suffered at home to Leeds on Saturday. Matej Vydra who has 20 goals to his name despite not finding the net in the last 12 is set to replace the suspended Troy Deeney.

Match Odds

Watford did us a favour just a couple of weeks ago winning at the King Power Stadium we when thought the home side were too short at 2.02. The 2.14 about the home side here looks more realistic, though, on form and ability you would still side with Zola's men, who picked up more points on the road than anybody else in the regular season and are available to back at 3.8. However, as we know from past experience, the playoffs are not just about form and ability. Mental strength and character are equally important if not more so. On that count the Foxes look to have the edge and that will even things up here. On that basis backing the draw at 3.55 is the recommended play here.

Sending Off

The visitors have had more players (six) dismissed than other Championship side and given the likelihood of a tense fixture then backing a red card at the best available price can pay dividends.

Best Bet

Back the draw at 3.55

Other Bet

Back Yes in the Sending Off market at the best available price