Follow live coverage as Watford face Sheffield United 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.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Watford FC 1 - 2 Sheffield United FC
Watford vs Sheffield United
17:04Match ends, Watford 1, Sheffield United 2.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:59Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:59Second Half ends, Watford 1, Sheffield United 2.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:58Delay in match because of an injury Daniel Bachmann (Watford).
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:57Attempt saved. Sam McCallum (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:55Corner, Watford. Conceded by Harrison Burrows.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:54Attempt missed. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) header from the centre of the box.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:54Fourth official has announced 6 minutes of added time.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:51Foul by Kwadwo Baah (Watford).
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:50Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:46Foul by Francisco Sierralta (Watford).
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:45Corner, Watford. Conceded by Alfie Gilchrist.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:45Substitution, Watford. Festy Ebosele replaces Ryan Andrews.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:45Substitution, Watford. Moussa Sissoko replaces Edo Kayembe.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:42Foul by Yasser Larouci (Watford).
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:41Foul by Anel Ahmedhodzic (Sheffield United).
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:39Substitution, Sheffield United. Rhys Norrington-Davies replaces Andre Brooks.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:38Attempt missed. Ryan Andrews (Watford) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:37Corner, Watford. Conceded by Harrison Burrows.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:35Foul by Andre Brooks (Sheffield United).
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:34Substitution, Watford. Yasser Larouci replaces Jeremy Ngakia.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:32Attempt saved. Rocco Vata (Watford) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:32Attempt saved. Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Tom Davies.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:29Attempt saved. Rocco Vata (Watford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jeremy Ngakia.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:29Attempt saved. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Kwadwo Baah.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:27Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:25Substitution, Watford. Vakoun Bayo replaces Angelo Ogbonna.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:24Substitution, Sheffield United. Sam McCallum replaces Gustavo Hamer because of an injury.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:24Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:21Delay in match because of an injury Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United).
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:20Offside, Watford. Edo Kayembe is caught offside.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:19Substitution, Sheffield United. Rhian Brewster replaces Ryan Oné.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:18Offside, Sheffield United. Ryan Oné is caught offside.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:14Goal! Watford 1, Sheffield United 2. Andre Brooks (Sheffield United) left footed shot from outside the box.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:13Foul by Imrân Louza (Watford).
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:13Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:11Ryan Andrews (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:09Foul by Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford).
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:09Foul by Edo Kayembe (Watford).
Watford vs Sheffield United
16:07Second Half begins Watford 1, Sheffield United 1.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:50First Half ends, Watford 1, Sheffield United 1.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:50Attempt saved. Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:50Mattie Pollock (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:50Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:50Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:49Foul by Andre Brooks (Sheffield United).
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:45Offside, Watford. Rocco Vata is caught offside.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:44Imrân Louza (Watford) is shown the yellow card.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:43Tom Davies (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:41Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Francisco Sierralta.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:41Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:41Delay in match because of an injury Ryan Andrews (Watford).
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:35Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:36Foul by Sydie Peck (Sheffield United).
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:31Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:32Foul by Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United).
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:27Attempt missed. Rocco Vata (Watford) right footed shot from the left side of the box following a fast break.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:25Offside, Watford. Jeremy Ngakia is caught offside.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:20Goal! Watford 1, Sheffield United 1. Jeremy Ngakia (Watford) right footed shot from very close range.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:18Anel Ahmedhodzic (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:17Jack Robinson (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:15Goal! Watford 0, Sheffield United 1. Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Callum O'Hare with a through ball.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:11Attempt saved. Andre Brooks (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Gustavo Hamer with a through ball.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:04Corner, Watford. Conceded by Sydie Peck.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:02Attempt missed. Ryan Oné (Sheffield United) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Andre Brooks with a cross.
Watford vs Sheffield United
15:01First Half begins.
Watford vs Sheffield United
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Watford vs Sheffield United
13:00Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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