Watford defender Francisco Sierralta has set his sights on an April return from a metatarsal injury sustained in January.
Watford currently sit in 10th place in the league following a run of just one win from five games, leaving them four points behind the play-off places. The Hornet’s infamous managerial circus was back in town during the week with Chris Wilder replacing Slaven Bilic, who had only managed ten wins from 26 games in charge, a run that is far from good enough to achieve promotion.
Watford will be hoping that Wilder’s arrival will spark life back into the squad and their play-off pursuit, with centre-back Sierralta also aiming a comeback before the end of the campaign to help the Hornets onto a strong finish. The Chile international hasn’t featured since January after being substituted at half-time in the 2-0 defeat against Middlesbrough with a metatarsal injury.
But speaking to the club, Sierralta revealed that he’s set to return to training following the international break, alongside eyeing a comeback to action next month, he said:
“The outlook was always like eight to 10 weeks, so I expected to be back before the end of the season.
“It’s looking like after the international break before I can be training fully again, but I am desperate to help the team again and I should be able to do that during April.”
Back for the run in…
Despite the poor run that ultimately lost Bilic his job, Watford are still in the play-off mix and boasts a group of players that have proved in the past they are capable of achieving promotion to the top-flight.
The eventual return of Sierralta will be a boost for Wilder in the home stretch, with the Chilean adding experience in Championship promotion to the side, after he played 26 games in the 2020/21 promotion success.
Sierralta has featured just 18 times this season and with Wesley Hoedt and January arrival Ryan Porteous locking down the centre-back slots in his absence, the Chilean may well find it tough to break back into the 11.
Watford travel to QPR tomorrow, with kick-off at 3pm.
