Newcastle vs Watford: Team news, kick-off time, likely line-ups, odds and stats from the Premier League clash

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Ahead of the Premier League's weekend action, Sportsmail will be providing you with team news, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all you need to know as Newcastle host Watford.

Newcastle vs Watford (St James's Park)

Team news

Newcastle

Midfielder Mikel Merino will return to the Newcastle squad for Saturday's Premier League clash with Watford.

The Spaniard has missed the last three games with a back injury, and his availability provides manager Rafael Benitez with a timely boost as Isaac Hayden serves a one-match ban after collecting his fifth booking of the season at Manchester United last weekend.

Full-back Paul Dummett is closing in on a return from his long-standing hamstring injury, although the game will come too soon for him, while central defender Jamaal Lascelles (foot) and winger Christian Atsu (groin) are still out.

Provisional squad: Elliot, Darlow, Yedlin, Manquillo, Mbemba, Gamez, Haidara, Clark, Lejeune, Merino, Shelvey, Saivet, Ritchie, Murphy, Aarons, Diame, Perez, Joselu, Gayle, Mitrovic.

Jamaal Lascelles missed Newcastle's defeat at Manchester United with an ankle injury

Mikel Merino will return to the Newcastle squad for the Premier League clash with Watford

Watford

 Watford boss Marco Silva has no fresh selection problems but remains without five players ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Newcastle.

Hornets captain Troy Deeney serves the final game of a three-match suspension, while defenders Craig Cathcart (knee) and Younes Kaboul (hamstring), midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah (knee) and forward Isaac Success (knee) are still injured.

Spanish full-back Kiko Femenia is available to play after being forced off with cramp against West Ham on Sunday.

Provisional squad: Gomes, Karnezis, Bachmann, Femenia, Britos, Mariappa, Kabasele, Wague, Zeegelaar, Holebas, Janmaat, Prodl, Cleverley, Hughes, Doucoure, Capoue, Watson, Carrillo, Pereyra, Richarlison, Gray, Okaka, Sinclair.

Hornets captain Troy Deeney serves the final game of a three-match suspension

Key match stats (supplied by Opta)

Newcastle have lost just one of their last 12 home league games against Watford (W8 D3), though that did come in the last such meeting in September 2015 (1-2).

Watford won both league games against Newcastle United in the 2015-16 campaign, but they’ve never previously managed to beat them in three consecutive league meetings.

In all competitions, Watford beat Newcastle three times in 2015-16, including an FA Cup third round tie – one of just 10 occasions the Hornets have beaten the same side at least three times within the same season.

After losing three times in their opening nine games of the Premier League season (W4 D2 L3), Newcastle United have now lost three games in a row and scored just one goal in this run.

Watford have used the most players (26) and have the most different goalscorers (12) in the Premier League so far this season.

Richarlison has been involved in six goals in his last seven Premier League appearances

The Hornets have exactly the same record after 12 games as they did last season (W5 D3 L4 and 18 points). However, in 2016-17 they only won one of their next 10 Premier League matches and picked up just six points in this period.

Should Watford win this match, they’ll have already won more away points (currently 10) in the Premier League in 2017-18 than in the whole of last season (12 points from 19 games).

The Toon have had the youngest starting XI on average this season in the Premier League (25y 284d old).

Abdoulaye Doucoure has played 17.1 per cent of all Watford’s successful passes in the Premier League so far this season; the highest involvement by a player for any team.

Richarlison has been involved in six goals in his last seven Premier League appearances for Watford (four goals, two assists).