Chelsea vs Watford preview: Guus Hiddink takes charge of first Blues game

A look ahead to the Premier League fixture at Stamford Bridge


 Guus Hiddink, Didier Drogba and Roman Abramovich took a tour of the pitch after the win
 (Getty Images)

It’s a big game for..

The Chelsea players: With the club firing manager Jose Mourinho last week, the players will need to prove their worth to the club, to avoid losing their places under interim manager Guus Hiddink. They bounced back well against Sunderland, but will need to continue on that path if they are to salvage something from this season.

Best stats…

Chelsea - 3: Chelsea scored three goals in their last match to beat Sunderland, which was more than they scored in their last five Premier League matches under Jose Mourinho combined.

Watford - 28: The number of years since Watford last won four consecutive top-flight games, in April 1987.

Remember when…

Chelsea dispatched Watford in the FA Cup 5-0, in 2010. Daniel Sturridge and Frank Lampard featured on the score sheet for the Blues that day.

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Player to Watch…

Odion Ighalo: The Watford striker sits fourth on the table of the League’s top scorers, with 12, and he scored two in last weekend’s 3-0 victory over Liverpool.

Past three meetings…

Chelsea 3 (Willian, Remy, Zouma) Watford 0, FA Cup, January 2015

Chelsea 5 (Sturridge 2, Lampard, Malouda, Eustace [og]) Watford 0, FA Cup, January 2010

Watford 1 (Priskin) Chelsea 3 (Anelka 3), FA Cup, February 2009

Form Guide…

Chelsea: WDLWLW

Watford: LLWWWW

Vital Information…

Kick-Off Time: 15:00

TV: Highlights BBC1, 10:30pm