Michael Owen makes bold Brighton prediction and issues Roy Hodgson Watford claim

Michael Owen believes a lack of goals in Roy Hodgson' s Watford team could be their downfall against Brighton at Vicarage Road this afternoon.

Relegation threatened Watford will be desperately targeting three points today against Graham Potter's team who are ninth in the Premier League.

Watford have looked more solid since Hodgson took charge but they are yet to score having battled to a 0-0 against Burnley and then narrowly lost 1-0 at West Ham in midweek.

Brighton are unbeaten in their last six Premier League matches but will look to hit back after their FA Cup loss at Tottenham last Saturday.

"The confidence around the Watford camp can’t be good, and they desperately need a positive result," wrote Owen in his Bet Victor predictions blog."I think Roy Hodgson will improve this side, but the stakes are so high at the minute. The big worry for Watford would be that the goals have completely dried up over the last couple of months.

"Graham Potter must have been disappointed to see his side lose in the FA Cup to Spurs last week. Still, they are unbeaten in six in the league and are having such a good season.

"I don’t think there will be many goals at Vicarage Road, but I can see Brighton edging it 1-0."

Watford are boosted however as Ismaila Sarr has a chance of being included in the Watford squad for the first time since November.

On Friday the Senegal international is due to take part in training for the first time since helping Senegal win the Africa Cup of Nations last Sunday, but it remains to be seen if he will have recovered in time to start the match.

Hodgson is set to remain without Nicolas Nkoulou, however, as he continues to work on his rehabilitation.

Brighton will have midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, who had tested positive while away on international duty with Argentina, and forward Leandro Trossard available again following Covid-19 issues.

Midfielder Enock Mwepu has suffered a minor setback on his recovery from a hamstring problem.

Teenager forward Jeremy Sarmiento (hamstring) also remains unavailable, having last featured at the start of December.