West Bromwich Albion vs Watford

As the Championship season enters its final stages, West Bromwich Albion and Watford prepare to face off in a high-stakes clash at The Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon, with both sides still holding on to slim hopes of securing a playoff berth. While their chances of promotion may appear faint at this point, neither team is ready to give up the chase just yet, and this match could serve as a defining moment in their respective campaigns. With only a handful of fixtures remaining, the pressure is firmly on both Tony Mowbray and Tom Cleverley to deliver results that will keep their seasons alive.

For West Bromwich Albion, recent form has been a bitter pill to swallow. A side that not long ago sat comfortably inside the top six has now found itself outside the playoff places following a disheartening run of three consecutive defeats. Tuesday night's trip to Ashton Gate against Bristol City epitomized the Baggies' current woes. Despite producing an encouraging performance and fighting back from a goal down thanks to Alex Mowatt’s second-half strike, the visitors left empty-handed after Haydon Roberts struck a late winner for the Robins. The ball slipped through the legs of goalkeeper Josh Griffiths and into the net, sealing a dramatic victory for the home side and extending West Brom’s winless streak to five matches.

This slump in form could not have come at a worse time for Tony Mowbray’s team, who are desperately trying to cling on to hopes of making the playoffs. The Baggies, who not long ago were in fifth place and in firm control of their destiny, now find themselves in eighth place, five points behind sixth-placed Coventry City with just five games remaining. The slide down the standings is a source of frustration for both players and fans alike, particularly given the relative consistency they had shown earlier in the campaign. That said, there remains a sense of belief at The Hawthorns that the team can still salvage their season, especially considering their relatively strong home record this term.

West Brom have been a formidable force on their own patch for much of the campaign, losing just three of their 20 home matches in the league. However, their last outing at The Hawthorns ended in disappointment, as they fell to a narrow defeat at the hands of Sunderland. A well-struck free-kick from Trai Hume proved to be the difference on that occasion, with the Black Cats taking all three points in a match that once again highlighted West Brom’s inability to convert performances into results. That defeat, coupled with the recent setbacks away from home, has added further pressure on Mowbray to get things back on track before it's too late.

Since taking over from Carlos Corberan at the end of January, Mowbray has yet to stamp his authority on the squad in a meaningful way. The 61-year-old former Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers boss was brought in with hopes of guiding the team back into the Premier League, but so far, his tenure has been plagued by inconsistency and an apparent lack of cohesion on the pitch. Despite boasting a squad filled with Championship experience and talent, Mowbray has struggled to settle on a consistent starting eleven, leading many to question whether he has been able to truly unlock the potential of the players at his disposal. With the season rapidly approaching its climax, time is running out for him to find the winning formula.

Meanwhile, Watford arrive in the West Midlands buoyed by a much-needed victory over Hull City on Tuesday night. Under the guidance of interim manager Tom Cleverley, the Hornets secured a narrow 1-0 win at Vicarage Road, courtesy of a goal from veteran midfielder Moussa Sissoko. The Frenchman, who has largely operated in a deeper role throughout his career, stepped up in attack to deliver the crucial moment that handed his side all three points. That result kept Watford within touching distance of the playoff positions and offered a glimmer of hope for their supporters, who have endured a turbulent and inconsistent season.

Like their opponents this weekend, Watford were once a regular fixture in the Premier League and came into this campaign with ambitions of returning to the top flight. However, the reality has been a far cry from those expectations, with the team frequently underperforming and struggling for consistency both home and away. While their win over Hull was certainly a step in the right direction, it remains to be seen whether Cleverley’s side can build on that momentum and string together the kind of run needed to force their way into the top six.

Watford’s away form has been a major concern throughout the campaign. The Hornets have managed just four wins from their 20 away matches in the Championship this season, a statistic that speaks volumes about their struggles on the road. Sitting 16th in the division in terms of away results, Cleverley’s men have found it difficult to replicate their home performances when playing outside of Vicarage Road. That trend will need to change quickly if they are to have any chance of closing the six-point gap that currently separates them from Coventry City in sixth place.

Despite the challenges, there have been a few bright spots in Watford’s season, particularly in the form of striker Vakoun Issouf Bayo. The Ivorian forward has been the team’s most consistent attacking threat during the 2024-25 campaign, leading the club’s scoring charts with 10 goals in 36 appearances. In a season where attacking inspiration has often been hard to come by, Bayo’s contributions have been invaluable, and he will undoubtedly be relied upon once again when Watford take on West Brom. The departure of Joao Pedro and other attacking talents has left a void in the Hornets' frontline, but Bayo has done his best to fill that gap and has emerged as a key figure under Cleverley’s leadership.

The interim boss, still in the early stages of his managerial career, has had to learn quickly under difficult circumstances. Thrust into the hot seat following the departure of Valérien Ismaël, Cleverley has sought to steady the ship and instill a sense of discipline in the squad. While results have been mixed, the former midfielder has shown glimpses of promise, and his team’s defensive improvements in recent weeks have not gone unnoticed. Watford have now kept clean sheets in three of their last five matches, a marked improvement from earlier in the season when their backline was regularly breached.

With so much riding on Saturday’s encounter, both managers will be acutely aware of what is at stake. For Mowbray, a win could breathe new life into West Brom’s playoff pursuit and silence some of the growing doubts about his leadership. For Cleverley, three points on the road would represent a major statement of intent and demonstrate that his side is still a force to be reckoned with. The match promises to be fiercely contested, with neither team in a position to settle for anything less than victory.

Beyond the tactical battles and individual performances, there is also the emotional weight of the occasion. Both sets of supporters have endured their fair share of frustration this season and will be hoping that this match can serve as a turning point. The atmosphere at The Hawthorns is likely to be intense, with the home crowd eager to see their team snap out of its recent slump and reignite their promotion push. Similarly, Watford fans will be hoping that their team can defy their poor away record and deliver a performance worthy of a top-six contender.

As the Championship table continues to tighten and the margin for error grows ever slimmer, matches like these take on even greater importance. A win for either side could prove to be a catalyst for a late-season surge, while a defeat would all but extinguish any lingering hopes of reaching the playoffs. With the clock ticking down on the 2024-25 campaign, the stage is set for a dramatic showdown between two sides desperate to keep their dreams alive. Whether it's West Brom bouncing back at home or Watford springing a surprise on their travels, this encounter promises to be a gripping affair from start to finish.