Wasps' Tom Varndell is wrapped up during their defeat to Newcastle © Getty Images

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Matches: Wasps 27 - 24 Bath Rugby

Tournaments/Tours: Aviva Premiership

Teams: Bath Rugby | Wasps

London Wasps host Bath on Sunday as they look to regain their promising early season form.

In Dai Young's first two matches in charge Wasps beat Premiership champions Saracens and runners up Leicester Tigers. But since then Wasps have lost three in a row with defeat to Sale Sharks, Exeter Chiefs and Newcastle Falcons. The likes of winger Christian Wade have shown that Wasps still pose plenty of firepower out wide, but familiar troubles up front have returned in recent weeks.

Bath go into the game following a thrilling 26-25 victory over old rivals Leicester Tigers, in which they came from 22-13 down thanks to a try from Matt Carraro and the boot of young fly-half Tom Heathcote. The result took Bath into mid-table after defeat to their West Country rivals Gloucester the weekend before.

London Wasps - Player to Watch: Tim Payne will have his eyes firmly set on young prop Kane Palmer-Newport and he will hope to use his years of experience to put one over the new kid on the block.

London Wasps - Team News: Wasps have been boosted by the return of Nicky Robinson and Marco Wentzel to the starting line-up with Ryan Davis and Ross Filipo dropping to the bench in the only two changes to the side.

Bath - Player to Watch: Tom Heathcote impressed for Bath last weekend when he came on for Sam Vesty but faces a huge task at Adams Park. While he had the backing of home support against the Tigers, Heathcote will face a baptism of fire in front of the Wasps faithful but if he continues his impressive form then expect him to shine from fly-half.

Bath - Team News: Heathcote comes in for Vesty with the former Tigers fly-half still recovering from a hit from Boris Stankovich's arm. On the bench - Mark Lilley is preferred to Duncan Bell while Paul Roberts takes Heathcote's place. Jack Cuthbert takes his spot in the 23 instead of Olly Woodburn.

Key Battle: Ben Williams will face one of his biggest tests in the inside centre berth in the guise of inform Chris Bell come Sunday. The centre only joined Wasps in the summer but has already established himself as one of their key players while Williams is taking full advantage of Olly Barkley's absence.

Trivia: Bath have won their last three away games against Wasps, although two of those encounters were actually played at Twickenham in the special St George's Day matches.

Stats: Christian Wade sits atop of the try-scoring table after running in five scores in the first five games for Wasps.

Quote Unquote:

"Bath are strong all over the park and traditionally big and physical up front. They also keep the ball alive very well and they will come at us from everywhere."
- Wasps boss Dai Young talks up Bath's threat

"I don't think we are the finished article, we are under no illusions about that, but we've got a game that on any given day is going to put us in with a chance of winning matches."
- Bath coach Brad Davis concedes the West Country side are in another season of transition

Prediction: This match can be decided on a flip of a coin. Recent history suggests Bath hold the edge over Wasps so expect them to win by the narrowest of margins in a match dominated from the kicking tee.