Watford manager Alessio Dionisi has the chance to equal a modern club record when his side faces West Ham United this week. The Hornets are unbeaten after two Championship games, taking four points from a win over Southampton and a draw at Wrexham.
This leaves Watford 13th in the Championship table with five points from four games, having scored four goals and conceded five. They are five points behind early leaders Swansea City. A positive result against the Hammers would see Dionisi become the first Watford boss since Rob Edwards in the 2022-23 season to take seven points from his first three league matches in charge. Seven permanent managers have led the club in the period between those two potential achievements.
Watford's historical record against West Ham United at Vicarage Road makes for grim reading. In their past 17 home league meetings, Watford have managed just two victories, drawing four and losing eleven. Those two wins stand out for another reason: they are the only occasions in that 17-game stretch where Watford managed to score two or more goals in the match.
West Ham arrive with a dominant recent record in this fixture, having won each of the last five league encounters. Their attacking prowess in those games has been notable, with the London side scoring three or more goals in four of those five victories.
Watford's solid start contrasts with West Ham's struggles in the early stages of this Championship campaign. The Hammers are winless so far, with one draw and one loss from their opening two matches. If they fail to win at Vicarage Road, it would mark the first time since the 1980-81 season that West Ham have begun a second-tier campaign without a victory in their first three games. Ironically, that 1980-81 season ended with West Ham being crowned champions.
A key threat for the visitors is striker Joel Piroe. He has scored five goals across his past four Championship appearances and has a particularly strong record against Watford, netting four times in his last four league starts against them. Watford's defence, which has conceded five goals this season, will need to be alert.
Securing a result against a historically difficult opponent would provide a significant boost to Watford's early-season momentum. The club's current league standing shows a team finding its feet, with a recent form line of loss, draw, draw, win. A victory would push them closer to the playoff positions and build confidence ahead of a busy period.
Manager Alessio Dionisi will be keen to address the team's defensive record while hoping the attack can replicate the high-scoring performances needed to beat West Ham in the past. The next challenge after this fixture is a trip to face West Bromwich Albion, who are currently 7th, on September 5th. Fans can follow the team's progress on our standings and fixtures pages.
The focus now turns to Vicarage Road, where Watford will aim to rewrite a piece of their history against West Ham United.
