Gosling is Sarr struck
ISMAILA SARR leads Watford’s six-shooters into another test with new signing Dan Gosling admitting he will be the “key factor” in their promotion bid.
The Hornets have the best home record in the Championship but have scored only seven goals in 14 away games, including five 0-0 draws.
After their 6-0 demolition of Bristol City, Xisco Munoz’s side travel to Preston.
And Gosling, a free transfer from Bournemouth, believes flying Senegal winger Sarr – who scored twice and provided three assists against the Robins – will be vital.
“Sarr was exceptional and with the attacking threat of him and Ken Sema, it was probably one of the outstanding performances of the season,” he said.
“Ismaila is one of the stand-out performers in the division and the club did really well to keep hold of him in the summer.
“We’ve had a slight change of formation from the previous games, and when your attacking players perform like they did (on Saturday), it takes some stopping.”
MAURICIO POCHETTINO will take charge of his first Champions League tie for PSG tonight – against mighty Barcelona.
But he will do so without the injured stars Neymar and Angel Di Maria.
And in another of the sub-plots to this tie, last year’s beaten finalists will be seeking revenge following their meeting at this stage in 2017 when Barcelona won the second leg 6-1.
But Lionel Messi’s future has dominated the build-up to what could be his final European tie for the Catalan club. And the Qatari-owned Parisians, who could compete with Manchester City to pay Messi’s wages, have admitted they would be interested in signing the Argentine if he leaves Barca in the summer.
Sporting director Leonardo, who sacked Thomas Tuchel before appointing Pochettino in December, said last month: “Great players like Messi will always be put on PSG’S list.
“We are sat at the big table of those closely following the matter. In fact, no, we are not yet sat down but our chair is reserved just in case.”
The open invitation to Messi did not impress the Catalan club or their fans who greeted PSG president Nasser Al-khelaifi with chants when the team arrived in Barcelona yesterday.
Barca boss Ronald Koeman publicly criticised PSG last month and claimed they were playing mind games before this tie.
“They haven’t managed to destabilise us,” said the Dutchman yesterday.
“But Messi belongs to Barca and I have a lot of hope he will stay here.”
Defender Jordi Alba added: “Messi is 100 per cent committed to Barcelona and will make his decision at the end of the season. His mind is focused on Barca right now, you can see that in every game.”
Former Espanyol defender Pochettino, who took Tottenham to the 2019 final, said: “This is a special game, even more so that I have been here for about 40 days.”