In Profile: Nigel Pearson's Watford
Following a 103-day break due to COVID-19, City head into the behind-closed-doors clash sitting third in the standings, while the Hornets are currently in 17th place.
Saturday's clash will be available on UK TV, while LCFC TV introduces new show City On The Sofa, alongside LCFC Radio's live in-play coverage on the dedicated Match Centre.
Ahead of the Foxes' first outing since beating Aston Villa 4-0 in March, LCFC.com analyses Watford's manager, players, home venue, trophy cabinet and upcoming fixtures...
The manager
Nigel Pearson requires no introduction to Leicester City supporters following two successful spells as the Foxes' manager, first winning promotion from League 1 as champions in 2009, before later returning to the Club to win the Championship title in 2014 and securing their Premier League safety in 2015.
City broke Club records for most league victories during both the 2008/09 and 2013/14 campaigns under Pearson's management on their way to winning league titles in the third and second tiers.
After ending a 10-year exile from the Premier League, meanwhile, Leicester won seven of their last nine Premier League games in 2014/15 to stave off the threat of relegation in dramatic circumstances.
Pearson's playing career was also admirable, spanning over 450 professional games for for Shrewsbury Town, Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough, before he took over at Carlisle United after retirement.
In his first management role, it was Pearson who oversaw the infamous last-gasp equaliser from goalkeeper Jimmy Glass that kept the team in the Football League at the end of the last century.
That proved to be his last game in charge, and he would not manage permanently again until 2008, instead preferring to develop his coaching abilities among the backroom teams at several clubs.
Following spells as a coach at Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United, including a time as the England Under-21s' caretaker manager, Pearson headed to Southampton.
Pearson joined the South Coast club amid a relegation battle in February 2008, but nonetheless guided Saints to Championship safety, at the expense of Leicester, whom he took over later that summer.
After missing out on the chance to seal back-to-back promotions with the Foxes, losing a play-off semi-final to Cardiff City, a short spell at Hull City followed, but Pearson returned to King Power Stadium in 2011.
Despite more play-off heartbreak with Leicester, due to Troy Deeney's last-minute winner for Watford in 2013, Pearson's men were promoted as champions with 102 points just one season later.
Since leaving Leicester in 2015, meanwhile, Pearson briefly managed Derby County in the Championship before also working for Belgian side Oud-Heverlee Leuven between 2017 and 2019.
In December, Pearson took over from Quique Sánchez Flores at Watford and presided over four wins from his first six games in charge which saw the Hertfordshire side climb out of the bottom three.
They currently sit in 17th position in the top-flight standings, above the drop zone on goal difference, with a brilliant 3-0 win over top-of-the-table Liverpool being the highlight of his reign so far.
The squad
Watford’s first team squad has a representation of 16 different nationalities, while talismanic captain Troy Deeney is the club’s longest serving player, and currently their top scorer this season with six goals.
In the summer, Watford made Senegalese winger Ismaïla Sarr their record signing, spending a reported £27M to bring the 21-year-old to Vicarage Road.
He has scored five times and assisted three goals in his first 19 Premier League appearances.
In goal, the experienced former England goalkeeper Ben Foster has kept nine clean sheets, with the likes of Craig Cathcart, Christian Kabasele and Craig Dawson providing the last line of defence in front of him.
Creative forces in midfield include the box-to-box Abdoulaye Doucoure, Roberto Pereyra and Etienne Capoue.
The former has made the joint most league appearances of any outfield player (28), alongside Gerard Deulofeu. The Spaniard has justified his selection with four goals and five assists so far this campaign.
The trophy cabinet
Watford are yet to win a major domestic cup competition, but came closest to lifting the FA Cup in 1983/84 and 2018/19, reaching the final on both occasions.
The Hornets have won promotion to the top flight on four occasions - twice as runners-up and twice via the play-offs.
The club also won the second, third and fourth Division titles on one occasion each.
The stadium
Vicarage Road has been Watford’s home since 1922, when the club moved from its previous home at Cassio Road.
The stadium’s current capacity is 22,220 following the rebuilding of the newly-named Sir Elton John Stand in 2014, along with further expansion work in the following years.
Watford's home ground also housed non-league club Wealdstone F.C. between 1991 and 1993 and rugby union side Saracens from 1997 until 2013.
Saturday's visit of Leicester City will be staged behind closed doors in order to protect the health of players, staff and supporters and will be available live on UK TV.
The fixtures
Watford lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace last time out on Saturday 7 March before the Premier League's suspension, just one week after a brilliant 3-0 success over leaders Liverpool.
More recently, the Hornets won 2-0 in a behind-closed-doors training exercise Sky Bet Championship side Brentford, courtesy of goals from Étienne Capoue and Ismaïla Sarr at Vicarage Road.
Following Saturday’s clash with City, the Hornets travel to Burnley on Thursday 25 June (6pm kick-off) before entertaining Southampton in Hertfordshire on Sunday 28 June 4:30pm kick-off).
Following that, it's Chelsea (A), Norwich City (H), Newcastle United (H), West Ham United (A), Manchester City (H), and Arsenal (A) for Nigel Pearson's men in the Premier League.
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