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Can Stoke City get back to winning ways at home to Watford?

By Jack Dudley

STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: Marko Arnautovic of Stoke City is tackled during the Premier League match between Stoke City and Burnley at Bet365 Stadium on December 3, 2016 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: Marko Arnautovic of Stoke City is tackled during the Premier League match between Stoke City and Burnley at Bet365 Stadium on December 3, 2016 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) /
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Stoke City will look to put two successive away defeats to bed as they welcome an stumbling Hornets side to the Bet365 Stadium.

The computer didn’t spit out the kindest of festive fixtures for Stoke City. Visits to the Premier League’s top two in Chelsea and Liverpool brought a difference in performances.

Despite conceding four goals in both games, the Potters were much sharper against the Blues a will aim to take much confidence from the encounter at Stamford Bridge.

Potters need to get back on track

December wasn’t the best month for Stoke City. Having collected only one win and five points, Mark Hughes may take solace from the fact that three of the six fixtures were against sides in the top four.

Regardless, home draws with Southampton and Leicester City didn’t bring too much festive joy to Staffordshire.

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Watford come to the Bet365 Stadium having been ripped apart by a rampant Spurs side at Vicarage Road on New Years Day.

The Hornets have lost four of their last six. Their last win coming at home to Everton in early December.

With a such a leaky defence, Stoke City must take the game to Watford.

Arnautovic returns for Stoke City

Austrian Marko Arnautovic has served his three-game suspension and may return on Tuesday evening.

While Egypt and Ivory Coast have recruited Stoke City forwards Ramadan and Wilfried Bony for their Africa Cup of Nations squads.

The return of Arnautovic is timely. Hughes is starting to run thin in the attacking options department. Coupled with the return of Ibrahim Afellay, Hughes will be looking to implement a more consistent front-line.

With a heavy win, Stoke City could vault from 16th in the table to 9th. Bournemouth and Southampton both sit ahead of the Potters, but harbour a superior goal difference.

A win on Tuesday will be important for Hughes and the squad, and may go a long way to a more prosperous 2017.