Watford will be hoping it’s a case of third and 13th time lucky following the appointment of the referee for their final home game of the season.

It has been announced on the EFL website that Oliver Langford has been named as the man in the middle for Saturday’s match against Sunderland at Vicarage Road.

The West Midlands official has been in charge of two previous matches involving the Hornets this season – the 3-2 home defeat to Middlesbrough in September and the 2-1 reverse to Leicester City at Vicarage Road in February – so Watford will be aiming to taste victory at the time of asking with Langford as referee as they seek to end their dreadful run of home form at the 13th attempt.

Saturday will be a day shy of five months – and 12 matches – since Watford last won a league game at Vicarage Road, with Tom Cleverley’s men facing the Black Cats off the back of three consecutive home draws.

Langford has refereed a total of 31 league and cup matches this season, issuing 95 yellow cards and six reds.

Hristo Karaivanov and Matthew Jones are due to be the assistant referees for the 3pm kick off, with Sam Purkiss the fourth official.