Whites boss Daniel Farke made ten changes to his team for Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round hosting of Millwall yet fresh injury blows dictated some of those alterations to the side. Watford boss Tom Cleverley has been in a similar boat, the Hornets without key men for Saturday lunchtime’s Championship clash at Sunderland which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Watford and Leeds will now lock horns just three days later in a 7.45pm kick-off under the Vicarage Road lights. But blows have left six men definitely out of the contest and another four doubtful although two men are back for the midweek contest between the tenth-placed Hornets and the table-topping Whites. With Watford only three points off the play-offs, the game is huge for both sides and here we run through the injury news from both camps.
1. Kwadwo Baah (out)
Watford's German youth international attacker Baah suffered a thigh tear in last month's defeat at home to Preston North End and remains on the comeback trail. Photo: George Wood
2. Daniel Bachmann (out)
First choice Hornets keeper Bachmann suffered an ankle ligament injury towards the closing stages of last month's 2-1 loss at home to Sheffield United and the blow was expected to leave the Austrian international sidelined for ten to 12 weeks. Photo: George Wood
3. Vakoun Bayo (out - suspended)
Watford's Ivory Coast international Bayo is suspended for Tuesday night's contest as he serves the second match of a three-game ban for his straight red card in last weekend's 1-0 defeat at home to Norwich City. Watford appealed the decision but the Hornets were unsuccessful. Photo: Richard Heathcote
4. Caleb Wiley (out)
USA international left-back Wiley joined Watford on loan for the rest of the season from Chelsea on transfer deadline day having been recalled from his loans spell at Strasbourg but the 20-year-old is recovering from an injury and finishing his rehab with the Blues before linking up with the Hornets. Watford boss Tom Cleverley expects him to be available in around four weeks' time. Photo: Dylan Buell
5. Pierre Dwomoh (out)
Watford's Belgian youth international midfielder Dwomoh suffered a thigh injury in last month's 4-1 defeat at Fulham in the FA Cup third round and the blow was expected to leave the 20-year-old facing two months out. Cleverley has said that Dwomoh is progressing and back on the pitch. Photo: Bradley Collyer
6. Patrick Bamford (out)
Whites no 9 Bamford has now missed his side's last eight games with the hamstring injury suffered in the 1-1 draw at home to Blackburn Rovers on New Year's Day. Whites boss Daniel Farke said ahead of the weekend's FA Cup clash against Millwall that he was hoping Bamford would return to training at some stage next week. Photo: George Wood