Preview of a Fascinating EFL Championship Clash | Watford vs. Stoke City

Both teams secured victories in their first EFL Championship matches, with Stoke City defeating Coventry City impressively on August 10th, while Watford triumphed over Millwall 3-2 on the same day.

We can expect a fascinating match between these two well-known teams

On August 17th, Stoke City will face Watford in what promises to be a highly competitive match with plenty of goals. Both teams have strong offensive capabilities, which could lead to several open spaces and opportunities for both sides. However, Stoke City comes into this match with a strong mentality, having had a more impressive preseason compared to Watford.

Watford played seven preseason matches, winning only two, drawing two, and suffering three defeats—a rather negative record for the team. Looking back at their most recent encounter, which ended in a 1-1 draw on December 29th, 2023, neither team managed to gain a significant advantage.

READ MORE: Stoke City's Progress to the Next Round of the EFL Cup

Reviewing the last five matches between these two teams, we find two victories for Stoke City and two for Watford, along with the aforementioned draw in their last meeting. These clubs are also old rivals from the Premier League.

Their last meeting in England's top division took place on January 31st, 2018, ending in a 0-0 draw in a match with few highlights. The last time Stoke City defeated Watford in the Premier League was on October 28th, 2017, when they won 1-0 away with a goal from Darren Fletcher.

We hope to see a match as exciting as the ones we've grown accustomed to. Steve Schumacher will surely have a solid game plan for Stoke City to continue competing at the highest level in this EFL Championship.