Sky Sports pundit tips Luton to win derby clash at Watford

Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has tipped the Hatters to claim the honours during their hotly anticipated derby day clash with Watford this afternoon.

The former Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Leeds United midfielder believes that Town’s superb form going into the contest, unbeaten in eight having defeated QPR and Norwich in the last week, makes them favourites ahead of a Hornets side who have struggled for results recently.

Writing on his Sky Sports column, Prutton predicted a 2-1 success for the Hatters at Vicarage Road in today’s noon kick-off, saying: “Three losses from five now for Watford under Slaven Bilic.

"It has been such an odd tenure because they have been excellent in their two wins against Stoke and Norwich and so poor in defeat.

"Against Millwall in the first half on Wednesday night they were woeful.

“Luton are in cracking form. They have beaten QPR and Norwich just this week, and will be full of confidence that they can put one over their rivals.

"I think they could well do.”Meanwhile, Town boss Nathan Jones wasn’t too shock by Watford’s poor start to the season as five defeats from their opening 15 games has seen them sitting in 15th having been a Premier League side last term.

He continued: “Nothing surprises me in football, but these are a good side and with really talented individuals, a really talented front four.

"We know it’s going to be a real tough fixture and if we take it lightly or we don’t do the basics right then we get hurt.

"So what we want to make sure is we’re not worried about anything.

"We weren’t worried about Teemu Pukki or Josh Sargent or Kieran Dowell and Onel Hernandez the other night, but we were aware, aware of their strengths and we’ll be exactly the same again.

"We are aware of what Watford can do if allowed to do.”

On whether he had faced new Hornets boss Bilic, who is managing this third club in England, having been in charge of West Ham and West Bromwich Albion, he said: “No, I didn’t last long enough that season (at Stoke City) when he came in.

"He had a wonderful season, I watched them as they were quite local to me, so I saw the side he had there and he built a wonderful, wonderful team at West Brom.

"I’m sure given time he’ll do that here.”

With the Hornets having struggled badly at Millwall on Wednesday night, losing 3-0 with Lions striker Tom Bradshaw notching a first half hat-trick, the visiting defence were susceptible against the long ball, their defence struggling to cope.

Jones joked: “I’d better play Mick Harford then!

"We know what we’re good at and how we want to play, so that’s all the matters.

"Whatever Watofrd struggled with, we can’t turn into something that we’re not, we don’t want to go away from something we’re good at.

"So our tactics will be our tactics, but how we feel we can win the game and that’s what we’ll be out to do.”

When asked whether Harford, who played in derby days in the past and knows full well just what it mean to supporters, will have a word prior to the fixture, he added: “Mick goes around and does what he does anyway.

"It’s something that I don’t have to pre-empt or manufacture, it happens naturally anyway.

“Mick’s a big part of our environment.

"He’s been away this week with a family issue, but he’s back now around and nice and timely.”