Only three things are certain in life. Death, taxes and Sunderland changing manager to avoid relegation every season.

True to form the Black Cats parted company with experienced boss Dick Advocaat at the beginning of October – less than seven months after he was hired as Gus Poyet’s replacement, saving the Wearsiders from dropping into the Championship with a goalless draw at Arsenal.

Poyet lasted slightly longer – 17 month – after taking over from the controversial Paolo Di Canio, himself hired after Martin O’Neill was removed with the threat of relegation looming large.

Seven games in and Allardyce has picked up nine points with wins over Newcastle United, Stoke City and Crystal Palace giving hope to a side seemingly devoid of any before his arrival.

The Black Cats had failed to register a win under Advocaat this season and find themselves in 19th ahead of this weekend’s clash at the Stadium of Light after a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in which they could count themselves somewhat unlucky to have been beaten.

Here we profile three players who could make the difference against the Hornets on Saturday.

Watford Observer:

Duncan Watmore: The young forward has shot to prominence on Wearside this season after joining the Black Cats from National League side Altrincham in 2013.

Watmore, 21, started out with Manchester United but left Old Trafford for the rather less glamorous surroundings of Altrincham in 2006.

The decision was vindicated, though, when after netting 14 goals during the 2012/13 campaign he was snapped up by the Wearsiders as one for the future.

Watmore, who this week graduated from Newcastle University with a first class degree in business and economics, only made his Premier League debut this season but has scored twice in eight games.

With senior strikers Jermain Defoe and Steven Fletcher both serious doubts for the clash, Watmore looks set to continue his run up front in their absence. His form has also led to and England Under-21 debut.

Watford Observer:

Yann M’Vila: With injury problems on Wearside stacking up for boss Allardyce, the controversial Frenchman will be more important than ever in the midfield.

Lee Cattermole and Sebastian Larsson both look set to miss out with injury meaning the Rubin Kazan loanee is a shoo-in to continue in the centre of midfield.

Impressive since his season-long loan switch from the Russian side, M’Vila had long been touted for a move to England before he finally got his opportunity in the summer.

Born in Amiens, M’Vila made his breakthrough in Ligue 1 with Rennes and spent nine years with the club before leaving for Rubin in 2013 for €12 million.

However, during the 2013/14 Russian winter break he went AWOL, much to the displeasure of coach Rinat Bilyaletdinov.

M’Vila subsequently joined Italian giants Internazionale on loan for the 2014/15 season with the view to a permanent move. Once again, though, he fell out of favour – this time with Roberto Mancini – and returned to Russia in January after the agreement was terminated.

Sent off on his debut for Sunderland’s Under-21s for a headbutt on Norwich City youngster Jamar Loza, M’Vila has overcome an inauspicious start to impress with his powerful displays.

The 25-year-old is a full French international but was banned from representing Les Bleus in 2012 after an unauthorised night out whilst on Under-21 duty. He has won 22 caps for his country to date.

Watford Observer:

DeAndre Yedlin: The athletic American full-back has become an increasingly important figure at the Stadium of Light after Allardyce switched to 3-5-2 system.

Signed on loan from Tottenham Hotspur for the season, the USA international featured sparingly under Dutch former head coach Advocaat.

However, he has been a regular under Allardyce down the right-hand side of midfield in a wing-back role. Patrick van Aanholt, formerly of Chelsea, has been utilised down the left.

Quick and energetic, the 22-year-old joined Spurs last summer but remained at MLS franchise Seattle Sounders for the rest of the US season before making the move to England in January.

However, the Seattle-born defender made just one substitute appearance for Spurs before the season was out and after the signing of Burnley’s Kieran Trippier, opted to head out on loan to get first team football.

Yedlin played and excelled for the USA at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and it was there he first caught the attention of European audiences.