West Ham vs Watford

This game had the feeling of three points written all over it for West Ham until a fortnight ago when Watford brushed West Ham aside in the FA Cup. Watford's away record is as poor as West Ham's in the league, having failed to pick up any wins on the road this season. However West Ham's confidence seems to be shot to pieces and practically every West Ham player has gone on record this week to state how important this game is, so expect a nervy affair early on.

Earlier in the week Curbishley appeared to hint that Ferdinand wouldn't be fit in time for this game, so expect a makeshift central defensive pairing of Dailly and Davenport with a nervous Carroll in goal behind them. This game therefore justifies the cliché that 'it's all about the first goal'. If West Ham score first then hopefully they will settle into the game. However if Watford score first I can see West Ham going to pieces.

It is crunch time for West Ham, but can they keep their nerve?