Watford boss delivers Sunderland verdict and highlights change under Mike Dodds

Watford boss Tom Cleverley has highlighted Sunderland’s defensive improvement ahead of his side’s meeting with the Black Cats.

Since losing 5-1 against Blackburn, Sunderland have conceded just once in four matches, with interim head coach Mike Dodds changing his side’s system to play with wing-backs. Watford have also kept things tight at the back in recent weeks, keeping four clean sheets in Cleverley’s seven games in charge.

When asked about coming up against Sunderland at Vicarage Road, Cleverley, who was appointed Watford’s permanent head coach this week, said: “They are a young team, a dynamic team, and they will play without fear. They’ve gone to a back three in recent weeks and looked very solid in that, I think after they had a heavy defeat against Blackburn, they’ve then conceded only one in their last four.

“We expect a very tough test, a hard nut to crack. I don’t expect a game that looks like two teams in mid-table winding down, we certainly have a lot to play for, and we are really desperate for that home win to send our fans away with a smile on their face and a lot of hope for next season.”

“They will be motivated for their own fans. They are always well travelled and well supported, and they haven’t had the easiest of times recently. It will be two teams that are desperate for three points, and that will certainly be credit to my players, given the mid-table nature of the end of our season.

“We have not looked like that at all, it has not been a squad that’s got its flip-flops on, it is a squad that has been fully motivated which excites me even more when everyone starts on a level-playing field next season.”