Watford and Norwich City are both trying to avoid a quick relegation, and they'll square off in a critical battle Friday in the English Premier League. Both teams were promoted after last season, and both are flirting with the bottom of the EPL table. Watford (4-2-13) is 17th, one point clear of No. 18 Norwich (3-4-14), and the Hornets have two games in hand. Norwich comes off a pivotal 2-1 home victory last Saturday against Everton that snapped a six-game losing streak, while Watford drew 1-1 with Newcastle the same day to snap its own six-game slide.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET in Watford, England. Caesars Sportsbook lists Watford as the +100 favorite (risk $100 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line in its latest Watford vs. Norwich City odds, with Norwich the +285 underdog. A draw is priced at +245 and the over-under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before making any Norwich City vs. Watford picks or English Premier League predictions, you need to see what proven soccer expert Jon Eimer has to say.
Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, Eimer has covered the English Premier League, Serie A, the FA Cup and much more. The Indiana-based handicapper compiled a winning record of 260-133-1 with over 90 units of profit for his community on various platforms over a recent two-month stretch.
Now, Eimer has broken down Norwich City vs. Watford from every angle and locked in his coveted picks and EPL predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see Eimer's Premier League picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Watford vs. Norwich City:
- Watford vs. Norwich City spread: Watford -0.5 (+100)
- Watford vs. Norwich City over-under: 2.5 goals
- Watford vs. Norwich City money line: Watford +100, Norwich +285, Draw +245
- Watford: It is 5-2-1 in its past eight home games against Norwich
- Norwich: It is 3-8-18 all-time in league matches played on Friday
Why you should back Watford
The Hornets will be eager for an opportunity to turn around their fortunes against a fellow bottom-dweller. They haven't been great at home, going 2-1-7 with a minus-11 goal differential, but Norwich has been worse on the road. The Canaries have scored three of their 10 goals away from home and have conceded 25 while taking five of a possible 27 points. Watford has scored 13 more goals than Norwich and has won the past five meetings between the teams.
Watford won the matchup in September at Carrow Road 3-1, and it has a 9-3 edge in goals in the past five meetings. Joao Pedro scored his second of the season to equalize against Newcastle, and he should play alongside Emmanuel Dennis (team-high eight goals) and Joshua King (five) in the attack. Norwich hasn't posted a clean sheet since Nov. 27, allowing 17 goals in the seven matches (1-0-6). Watford has scored at least once in six of its past seven (0-1-6).
Why you should back Norwich City
The Canaries should have some confidence after their win against Everton and a 1-0 victory against Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup on Jan. 9. Adam Idah scored the winner against the Toffees for his first goal of the season to go with an Everton own goal. The 20-year-old Irishman could get a start Friday, and he would play up front alongside Teemu Pukki, the team's top scorer with five goals.
Norwich is likely to play a physical game, and it has 388 tackles (T-8th in EPL). Grant Hanley leads the EPL in successful pressure percentage (41.4), and Pukki is fifth in pressures (381). The Canaries possess the ball at 45.1 percent (fifth-worst in EPL), but Watford (40.2) is one of four teams under 41. Watford has not posted a clean sheet all season and Norwich will need to have urgency with all of the other teams at the bottom having at least one game in hand.
How to make Norwich City vs. Watford picks
Eimer has scrutinized Watford vs. Norwich City from all sides, and he is leaning over on the goal total. He also provides his two confident best bets and gives his full breakdown of the match. He's only sharing his expert EPL picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Watford vs. Norwich City? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the Norwich City vs. Watford best bets, all from the soccer expert who generated over 90 units of profit in a recent two-month stretch, and find out.