Expectations will be high at Vicarage Road as the Hornets look to bounce back from what was a disappointing campaign last term
Watford will be hoping to improve significantly on their performance last season as they head into the 2018-19 campaign.
The Hornets made an impressive start to the league last term, but suffered from a severe decline in form and finished the season in 14th place, marginally ahead of those in the drop zone.
There have been plenty of changes during the off season and manager Javi Gracia will be expected to deliver better results.
Goal brings you everything you need to know about the Hornets’ season ahead, including squad numbers, transfer business and their complete Premier League schedule.
| Squad No. | Position | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Heurelho Gomes |
| 2 | DF | Daryl Janmaat |
| 3 | DF | Miguel Britos |
| 4 | DF | Younes Kaboul |
| 5 | DF | Sebastian Prodl |
| 6 | DF | Adrian Mariappa |
| 7 | MF | Gerard Deulofeu |
| 8 | MF | Tom Cleverley |
| 9 | FW | Troy Deeney |
| 10 | FW | Isaac Success |
| 11 | DF | Adam Masina |
| 12 | MF | Ken Sema |
| 14 | MF | Nathaniel Chalobah |
| 15 | DF | Craig Cathcart |
| 16 | MF | Abdoulaye Doucoure |
| 17 | FW | Adalberto Penaranda |
| 18 | FW | Andre Gray |
| 19 | MF | Will Hughes |
| 20 | MF | Domingos Quina |
| 21 | DF | Kiko Femenia |
| 22 | DF | Marvin Zeegelaar |
| 23 | DF | Marc Navarro |
| 24 | DF | Ben Wilmot |
| 25 | DF | Jose Holebas |
| 26 | GK | Ben Foster |
| 27 | DF | Christian Kabasele |
| 29 | MF | Etienne Capoue |
| 30 | GK | Pontus Dahlberg |
| 33 | FW | Stefano Okaka |
| 37 | MF | Roberto Pereyra |
Perhaps the biggest transfer involving Watford during the transfer window was a departure, with Richarlison leaving for Everton in a £40 million deal.
Mauro Zarate and Nordin Amrabat have also left Vicarage Road and Gracia’s recruits have been of the frugal variety.
Gerard Deulofeu has joined permanently from Barcelona after spending last season on loan at the club, while Marc Navarro arrived from Espanyol.
Adam Masina signed from Bologna and Ben Foster moved from relegated West Brom.
Transfer activity in
| Player | Transferred from | Fee | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gerard Deulofeu | Barcelona | £11.5m | July 1 |
| Marc Navarro | Espanyol | Undisc. | July 1 |
| Ben Wilmot | Stevenage | £1.5m | July 1 |
| Adam Masina | Bologna | £3.5m | July 2 |
| Ben Foster | West Brom | £2.5m | July 5 |
| Ken Sema | Ostersunds | £1.8m | July 5 |
| Domingos Quina | West Ham | £1m | August 9 |
Transfer activity out
| Player | Transferred to | Fee | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costel Pantilimon | Nottingham Forest | £3m | July 3 |
| Mauro Zarate | Boca Juniors | Undisc. | July 6 |
| Nordin Amrabat | Al-Nassr | £4m | July 16 |
| Dodi Lukebakio | Fortuna Dusseldorf | Loan | July 23 |
| Richarlison | Everton | £40m | July 24 |
| Tommie Hoban | Aberdeen | Loan | July 25 |
| Jerome Sinclair | Sunderland | Loan | July 25 |
| Randell Williams | Wycombe Wanderers | Loan | July 27 |
| Harvey Bradbury | Oxford United | Free | August 7 |
| Daniel Bachmann | Kilmarnock | Loan | August 8 |
| Alex Jakubiak | Bristol Rovers | Loan | August 9 |
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Watford’s 2018-19 Premier League campaign began on August 11 at home against Brighton and their first five fixtures include games against Burnley, Crystal Palace, Tottenham and Manchester United.
The Hornets welcome champions Manchester City to Vicarage Road in at the beginning of December, a month that also sees them face Leicester City, Everton, Cardiff City, West Ham and Chelsea.
The season run-in is not particularly kind either, with Arsenal, Huddersfield Town, Wolves, West Ham and Chelsea to play.
You can see the full list of Watford’s Premier League fixtures for 2018-19 below.
| Date | Time (UK) | Match |
|---|---|---|
| 11/08/2018 | 15:00 | Watford v Brighton |
| 18/08/2018 | 15:00 | Burnley v Watford |
| 25/08/2018 | 15:00 | Watford v Crystal Palace |
| 01/09/2018 | 15:00 | Watford v Tottenham |
| 15/09/2018 | 15:00 | Watford v Manchester United |
| 22/09/2018 | 15:00 | Fulham v Watford |
| 29/09/2018 | 15:00 | Arsenal v Watford |
| 06/10/2018 | 15:00 | Watford v Bournemouth |
| 20/10/2018 | 15:00 | Wolves v Watford |
| 27/10/2018 | 15:00 | Watford v Huddersfield Town |
| 03/11/2018 | 15:00 | Newcastle United v Watford |
| 10/11/2018 | 15:00 | Southampton v Watford |
| 24/11/2018 | 15:00 | Watford v Liverpool |
| 01/12/2018 | 15:00 | Leicester City v Watford |
| 04/12/2018 | 19:45 | Watford v Manchester City |
| 08/12/2018 | 15:00 | Everton v Watford |
| 15/12/2018 | 15:00 | Watford v Cardiff City |
| 22/12/2018 | 15:00 | West Ham v Watford |
| 26/12/2018 | 15:00 | Watford v Chelsea |
| 29/12/2018 | 15:00 | Watford v Newcastle United |
| 01/01/2019 | 15:00 | Bournemouth v Watford |
| 12/01/2019 | 15:00 | Crystal Palace v Watford |
| 19/01/2019 | 15:00 | Watford v Burnley |
| 30/01/2019 | 20:00 | Tottenham v Watford |
| 02/02/2019 | 15:00 | Brighton v Watford |
| 09/02/2019 | 15:00 | Watford v Everton |
| 23/02/2019 | 15:00 | Cardiff City v Watford |
| 27/02/2019 | 20:00 | Liverpool v Watford |
| 02/03/2019 | 15:00 | Watford v Leicester City |
| 09/03/2019 | 15:00 | Manchester City v Watford |
| 16/03/2019 | 15:00 | Watford v Southampton |
| 30/03/2019 | 15:00 | Manchester United v Watford |
| 06/04/2019 | 15:00 | Watford v Fulham |
| 13/04/2019 | 15:00 | Watford v Arsenal |
| 20/04/2019 | 15:00 | Huddersfield Town v Watford |
| 27/04/2019 | 15:00 | Watford v Wolves |
| 04/05/2019 | 15:00 | Chelsea v Watford |
| 12/05/2019 | 15:00 | Watford v West Ham |