Watford v Crystal Palace: Dennis aiming to equal Hornets’ goal feat

 

Emmanuel Dennis needs one goal to become only the fourth Watford player to score 10+ goals in a Premier League season, after Troy Deeney, Odion Ighalo and Gerard Deulofeu.

The 24 year old is also aiming to become the third Watford player to achieve the feat on his debut season with the club aftr Deeney and Ighalo.

Dennis has scored nine goals and bagged five assists in 22 appearances so far in his debut Premier League season.

While Deeney, the former Watford captain scored 13 times and provided eight assists in his debut season (2015/16) at the Vicarage road stadium with six of the goals coming in his first 25 games for the club, Ighalo’s 16 goals also came on his debut season (2015/16) with 15 of the goals scored in his first 23 games at the club.

Meanwhile, Watford manager Roy Hodgson took charge of 148 Premier League matches at Crystal Palace between 2017 and 2021, more than any other manager for the Eagles in the competition.

This will be his 30th Premier League match against a side he’s previously managed in the competition (W12 D5 L12), already more than any other manager has done.

Wilfried Zaha has 13 direct goal involvements in his last 16 Premier League away matches against promoted sides, scoring eight goals and assisting five.

None of the seven victories in Premier League contests between Crystal Palace and Watford have been by more than a one-goal margin – it’s the most wins a Premier League fixture has seen without any of them being by more than one goal.