Watford v Stoke City: mid-table climb meets play-off push | OneFootball

Watford host Stoke City in the Championship on Saturday, 20 December 2025 at Vicarage Road, with the hosts looking to climb from mid-table and the visitors chasing the play-off places.

Watford beat Stoke City 3-0 at Vicarage Road in August 2024, while the most recent meeting finished 0-0 in March. With Stoke City seventh and the hosts 14th, points here shape both a top six push and a move towards the top half.

The Hornets are unbeaten in three league games, bookended by draws at Wrexham and against Sheffield Wednesday after a 3-2 home win over Norwich City. Stoke City halted a three-game losing run by beating Swansea City last weekend.

The Hornets are missing Kwadwo Baah, Caleb Wiley, Jack Grieves and Rocco Vata through injury. Stoke City are without Lewis Baker, while Junior Tchamadeu remains suspended.

The Hornets average 1.4 goals per game with 52% possession and 81.71% pass accuracy this season, but have kept only one clean sheet, so Stoke City could find moments. The visitors have conceded 20 goals and kept seven clean sheets. Sorba Thomas has eight league goals and five assists, while Luca Kjerrumgaard and Imran Louzan lead The Hornets with six goals apiece, Louzan also supplying four assists.

A win would take Stoke City to 36 points and could carry them into the top six. Three points would move the Hornets to 32 and could nudge them into the top half.