Watford vs Preston North End LIVE: Championship result, final score and reaction
Follow live coverage as Watford face Preston North End in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Last year Southampton, Leicester City and Leeds United were relegated from the top flight and all are hopeful of making a quick return - but the likes of Norwich City, West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland all have real promotion ambitions too.
At the other end of the table, QPR, Cardiff City and Birmingham City will hope for better campaigns than last year’s relegation struggle - while newcomers Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to survive after dramatic progress through the play-offs.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Watford FC 0 - 0 Preston North End FC
Watford vs Preston North End
16:57
Match ends, Watford 0, Preston North End 0.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:54
Second Half ends, Watford 0, Preston North End 0.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:54
Attempt missed. Ryan Porteous (Watford) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Yáser Asprilla with a cross following a set piece situation.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:54
Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:51
Attempt blocked. Yáser Asprilla (Watford) left footed shot from more than 35 yards is blocked.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:49
Ryan Andrews (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:49
Andrew Hughes (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:51
Foul by Andrew Hughes (Preston North End).
Watford vs Preston North End
16:49
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:48
Delay in match because of an injury Robert Brady (Preston North End).
Watford vs Preston North End
16:47
Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:47
Foul by Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford).
Watford vs Preston North End
16:47
Robert Brady (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:46
Attempt missed. Jamal Lewis (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Yáser Asprilla.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:45
Ryan Porteous (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Preston North End
17:03
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:45
Substitution, Preston North End. Layton Stewart replaces Milutin Osmajic.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:45
Substitution, Preston North End. Mads Frökjaer-Jensen replaces Emil Riis.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:45
Substitution, Watford. Ismaël Koné replaces Emmanuel Dennis.
Watford vs Preston North End
17:03
Delay in match (Watford).
Watford vs Preston North End
16:51
Attempt blocked. Ryan Andrews (Watford) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:38
Hand ball by Robert Brady (Preston North End).
Watford vs Preston North End
16:37
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:37
Delay in match (Watford).
Watford vs Preston North End
16:36
Francisco Sierralta (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:34
Attempt missed. Mileta Rajovic (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right from a direct free kick.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:34
Emmanuel Dennis (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:34
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Jack Whatmough.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:30
Attempt missed. Will Keane (Preston North End) right footed shot from the left side of the box.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:28
Attempt saved. Francisco Sierralta (Watford) header from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze with a cross.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:28
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Jordan Storey.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:26
Offside, Preston North End. Milutin Osmajic is caught offside.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:24
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Jack Whatmough.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:24
Substitution, Watford. Mileta Rajovic replaces Vakoun Bayo.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:24
Substitution, Watford. Giorgi Chakvetadze replaces Edo Kayembe.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:21
Attempt missed. Jack Whatmough (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Robert Brady with a cross following a corner.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:21
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Ryan Porteous.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:19
Offside, Preston North End. Will Keane is caught offside.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:17
Attempt missed. Wesley Hoedt (Watford) left footed shot from more than 35 yards.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:15
Yáser Asprilla (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:14
Foul by Emmanuel Dennis (Watford).
Watford vs Preston North End
16:12
Attempt missed. Jordan Storey (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Robert Brady with a cross following a set piece situation.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:12
Yáser Asprilla (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:12
Foul by Yáser Asprilla (Watford).
Watford vs Preston North End
16:10
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Milutin Osmajic.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:09
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Francisco Sierralta.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:08
Ryan Porteous (Watford) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Watford vs Preston North End
16:07
Second Half begins Watford 0, Preston North End 0.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:50
First Half ends, Watford 0, Preston North End 0.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:48
Attempt missed. Andrew Hughes (Preston North End) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:47
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Tom Dele-Bashiru.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:45
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Robert Brady.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:45
Attempt blocked. Jamal Lewis (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Wesley Hoedt.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:45
Attempt saved. Emil Riis (Preston North End) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Andrew Hughes with a headed pass.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:43
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Robert Brady.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:40
Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:40
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:40
Delay in match because of an injury Vakoun Bayo (Watford).
Watford vs Preston North End
15:36
Foul by Ryan Andrews (Watford).
Watford vs Preston North End
15:31
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Jack Whatmough.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:34
Offside, Preston North End. Milutin Osmajic is caught offside.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:31
Offside, Preston North End. Robert Brady is caught offside.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:27
Ryan Andrews (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:24
Ryan Andrews (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:21
Hand ball by Emil Riis (Preston North End).
Watford vs Preston North End
15:21
Ryan Porteous (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:19
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:19
Delay in match because of an injury Ali McCann (Preston North End).
Watford vs Preston North End
15:18
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Daniel Bachmann.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:18
Attempt missed. Emil Riis (Preston North End) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:18
Attempt saved. Emil Riis (Preston North End) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Robert Brady.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:18
Attempt blocked. Will Keane (Preston North End) header from outside the box is blocked.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:18
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Francisco Sierralta.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:16
Attempt missed. Jamal Lewis (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:13
Attempt missed. Yáser Asprilla (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Emmanuel Dennis.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:10
Attempt saved. Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Yáser Asprilla.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:08
Attempt missed. Jack Whatmough (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Robert Brady with a cross following a corner.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:07
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Francisco Sierralta.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:07
Foul by Ryan Porteous (Watford).
Watford vs Preston North End
15:07
Foul by Vakoun Bayo (Watford).
Watford vs Preston North End
15:04
Greg Cunningham (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Preston North End
15:03
First Half begins.
Watford vs Preston North End
14:30
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Watford vs Preston North End
14:00
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