Head to Head: Odion Ighalo (Watford) vs Christian Benteke (Liverpool)

After surpassing the Reds in the Premier League table last weekend; newly promoted Watford are impressively looking for their fourth consecutive league win on the bounce when they host Liverpool at Vicarage Road this afternoon (13:30pm).

Odion Ighalo’s only goal of the game against Sunderland last Saturday; his milestone tenth league goal of the campaign, gave the visitors all three points and propelled Quique Sanchez Flores’ Hornets up to seventh in the top-flight standings, only four points behind the UEFA Champions League qualification places.

Meanwhile Liverpool; who lie one point and two places behind today’s opponents before kick-off, are yet to win in December following defeat to Newcastle United (2-0) and a draw against West Brom (2-) last Sunday at Anfield.

Boss Jurgen Klopp will be hoping striker Christian Benteke can net his first Premier League goal since late-October to give the travelling fans the three points they crave for before Christmas day.

With both forwards set to go head-to-head this afternoon, here’s how the in-form Ighalo and out-of-form Benteke match up so far this term…

ODION IGHALO

• Club:
   
  Watford

FACT FILE

• Position:
   
  Forward
• Height:
   
  1.88m
• Birth Date:
   
  June 16, 1989
• Birth Place:
   
  Lagos, Nigeria
• Clubs:
   
  Prime, Julius Berger, Lyn, Udiense, Granada (loan), Cesena (loan), Watford
• International:
   
  Nigeria (5 caps, 2 goals)

WHAT HE SAYS

"He is a wonderful man who stayed here because his future here at Watford is really big. He is already an important player for us." - Quique Sanchez Flores, Watford boss.

DID YOU KNOW

Ighalo survived gang-wars in Lagos slums and kicked tin cans with his bare feet when growing up in Nigeria.

PREMIER LEAGUE 2015/16

• Games:
   
  16
• Goals:
   
  10
• Assists:
   
  2
• Key passes:
   
  15
• Shot accuracy:
   
  60%
• Pass accuracy:
   
  74%
• Goals per 90 mins:
   
  0.68
• Take ons:
   
  23

CHRISTIAN BENTEKE

• Club:
   
  Liverpool

FACT FILE

• Position:
   
  Forward
• Height:
   
  1.91m
• Birth Date:
   
  December 3, 1990
• Birth Place:
   
  Kinshasa, Zaire
• Clubs:
   
  Genk, Standard Liege, Kortrijk (loan), Mechelen (loan), Aston Villa, Liverpool
• International:
   
  Belgium (25 caps, 7 goals)

WHAT HE SAYS

“He’s got strength and pace, can score with his feet, his head and he’s a handful. He’s proved that he can score goals in the Premier League." - James Milner, Liverpool team-mate.

DID YOU KNOW

Christian has a younger brother; Jonathan, who is also a professional footballer and currently plays for Zulte Waregem in the Belgian Pro League.

PREMIER LEAGUE 2015/16

• Games:
   
  13
• Goals:
   
  4
• Assists:
   
  1
• Key passes:
   
  13
• Shot accuracy:
   
  39%
• Pass accuracy:
   
  66%
• Goals per 90 mins:
   
  0.40
• Take ons:
   
  5.