Watford Captain Calls for Unity Amid Winless Run

Watford captain Mattie Pollock has called for unity as the club’s winless run stretched to five games in all competitions and early-season optimism gave way to concern.

The Hornets slipped to 18th in the fledgling Championship table after Saturday’s narrow defeat at West Brom, another frustrating afternoon that underlined their stuttering start under Alessio Dionisi.

Now comes a defining week at Vicarage Road.

Preston visit on Tuesday night, with Stoke City to follow on Saturday, and Pollock made no attempt to play down the stakes.

“They're two massive games,” he told BBC Three Counties Radio. “We've come up short in the last two away games, so we've got to make sure we put things right in front of our crowd and get the fans with us.”

Watford opened the 2026-27 campaign in style, beating Southampton and briefly hinting at a season of momentum and possibility. Since that bright first day, the league form has stalled: two draws, two defeats, and a slide down the standings.

Cup competition brought no respite. A much-changed side was thrashed 5-1 by Peterborough in the EFL Cup last month, a result that sharpened the focus on Dionisi’s early tenure and exposed the fragility of a squad still finding its shape.

Pollock, appointed captain in July, has been pushed quickly into the role of standard-bearer. His message is simple: stay together, or this season unravels before it really starts.

“I'll do everything in my power to make sure the lads stick together,” he said. “We came up short at the weekend, but if we can start scoring goals and winning games, then it can still be an exciting season.”

The challenge is clear. Turn Vicarage Road into a platform for recovery this week, or risk letting that excitement drift into the distance.