Watford v Leeds United: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Leeds United lost for the first time in 15 matches when they went out of the FA Cup in a 2-0 home defeat by Millwall on Saturday, but that was a much-changed team.

The Championship leaders will be looking to get back to winning ways when they travel to face Watford at Vicarage Road for one of five second-tier matches on Tuesday night.

Leeds are two points clear at the top after 31 games with an impressive goal difference of plus-43 across nine wins and four draws in their last 13 league matches.

The Hornets finished 15th last season, but they are having a better campaign this time around and are 10th in the standings. They picked up a useful away point at fourth-placed Sunderland on Saturday but had lost their previous three league games.

Watford v Leeds United betting tips and predictions

Leeds to win and over 2.5 goals - 13/10

Leeds suffered their first defeat in any competition since a 1-0 league defeat at Blackburn Rovers in November when they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Millwall on Saturday.

However their promotion bid remains on track and Daniel Farke's side should be looking to pick up three points at Watford.

Farke changed almost his whole team from the 2-0 midweek league win over Coventry City for the visit of the Lions, with only Ethan Ampadu retaining his place in the starting line-up.

The result was not as bad as it first looks, either, as Millwall scored from their only two shots on target, while Leeds had eight efforts on target and enjoyed almost two thirds of the possession.

Having paid the price for prioritising the league, Farke will be determined to see his team pick up the points in Hertfordshire as Leeds look to complete a double over the Hornets following a 2-1 home win in September. 

Leeds wasted no time in establishing a dominant position in that game, scoring both of their goals in the first seven minutes.

The Whites have been giving nothing away of late, posting six consecutive clean sheets in between a 3-3 draw at Hull City and the Millwall defeat and, while five of their last seven fixtures have been at home, they have also been solid on the road.

They are on a six-match unbeaten run in away games, including a goalless draw at promotion rivals Burnley, and should fancy their chances against a Watford team who have been struggling for wins.

The Hornets went close to picking up an impressive win at Sunderland, but were pegged back by an 89th-minute equaliser by the home side.

Before that, they had suffered successive defeats to Norwich City, Coventry and Preston North End, which don't bode well for their chances of upsetting Leeds.

Watford's only victories in their last 12 games have come against promoted pair Portsmouth and Derby County, who are both in the bottom five.

While Tom Cleverley's team are much stronger at home, with nine of their 12 league wins coming at Vicarage Road, Leeds have lost only two of 15 on the road.

The visitors had scored nine goals and conceded none in their two games before the Millwall tie and taking them to win a game featuring at least three goals could be rewarded.

The first game between these two sides this season landed that bet and there have been over 2.5 goals with both teams scoring in three of Watford's last four matches.

Joel Piroe anytime goalscorer - 7/5

Joel Piroe wasn't able to find a way to get Leeds back in the game when he was one of the first-teamers introduced in the final minutes of the FA Cup defeat on Saturday, but he could have more success if he is restored to the starting line-up on Tuesday.

Piroe is second in the Championship goalscorer standings with 13 goals, as well as five assists, and he has kept that tally ticking along nicely this season.

The Dutch forward scored twice in the 7-0 rout of Cardiff and opened the scoring in the 2-0 win at Coventry last Wednesday. He could add another at Watford.

Imran Louza to be booked - 8/5

Imran Louza got his name on the stats sheet when putting Watford 2-1 ahead at Sunderland on Saturday, but he is more likely to feature on the match updates for picking up a yellow card when Leeds visit.

Louza stayed out of trouble in his first 11 appearances for the Hornets, but since then the Morocco midfielder has been a regular offender, picking up five yellow cards in his last 11 matches.

The Watford midfield is likely to be at full stretch keeping tabs on the free-flowing Leeds attackers and Louza looks like a prime candidate to go into the referee's notebook.

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Watford v Leeds United odds

Watford - 21/4
Draw - 16/5
Leeds United - 1/2

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.