Fulham are in the third round of the FA Cup on Thursday as they face Watford at Craven Cottage.
Marco Silva's side are in the top half of the Premier League table beyond the halfway mark, but they were only left frustrated by looking for a point against Ipswich Town last time out.
However, the Cottagers have proved difficult for the division's top flight this season, with Liverpool and Arsenal among the teams to drop points at the west Londoners.
They have usually been bowed out in the fourth round of the competition in recent years, with their previous defeat at this early stage coming in 2019.
Watford have an excellent record against their next opponents, but they go into Thursday's cup tie in rather poor form, having initially made a strong start to the Championship season. The Hornets have dropped to ninth after losing four of their previous five games.
They have also struggled in the third round since their final defeat to Manchester City in 2019.
Here it is 90 minutes guide to Fulham against Watford in the third round of the FA Cup.
Fulham vs Watford H2H results (last five matches)
Current form (all competitions)
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Fulham |
Watford |
|---|---|
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Fulham 2-2 Ipswich – 05/01/25 |
Watford 1-2 Sheffield Utd – 04/01/25 |
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Fulham 2-2 Bournemouth – 29/12/24 |
QPR 3-1 Watford – 01/01/25 |
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Chelsea 1-2 Fulham – 26/12/24 |
Watford 1-2 Cardiff – 29/12/24 |
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Fulham 0-0 Southampton – 22/12/24 |
Watford 2-1 Portsmouth – 26/12/24 |
|
Liverpool 2-2 Fulham – 14/12/24 |
Burnley 2-1 Watford- 21/12/24 |
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country |
TV channel/live streaming |
|---|---|
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United Kingdom |
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra – not televised |
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United States |
ESPN+, the ESPN app |
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Canada |
Sportsnet NowSportsnet EastSportsnet OntarioSportsnet PacificSportsnet WestSportsnet Now Plus |
Silva is forced to shuffle his pack from Sunday's draw with Ipswich. Raul Jimenez, who saved a point for the Cottagers, is among those expected to earn a rest.
Silva backs up Rodrigo Muniz, who has so far failed to build on his 2023/24 campaign. He will be eager to get on the scoreboard here.
Reiss Nelson and Kenny Tete won't be back until February at the earliest due to respective hamstring and knee injuries, but Sander Berge has a chance to return from an ankle problem on Thursday. Harrison Reed remains sidelined.
Fulham predicted formation against Watford (4-2-3-1): Leno; Chestnut, Diop, Cuenca, Sessegnon; Pereira, Lukic; Traore, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Muniz.
Watford are without starting goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann for an extended period with an ankle ligament injury, so Jonathan Bond should get the nod between the sticks for the foreseeable.
There is likely to be less rotation from the visitors compared to their hosts, but there will certainly be a few changes from manager Tom Cleverley. Experienced trio Moussa Sissoko, Ryan Porteous and Tom Ince could all slot into Watford's 3-5-2, while Vakoun Issouf Bayo could be added up front.
Kevin Keben is out, but Tom Dele-Bashiru could be in contention after recovering from a knee injury.
Watford predicted line-up against Fulham (3-5-2): Bond; Porteous, Pollock, Sierralta; Andrews, Kayembe, Sissoko, Louza, Ngakia; Come on, Baah.
Watford's woeful form does not bode well going into Thursday's game, with Fulham having lost just twice at the Cottage in the Premier League this season. While European football is a possibility, Silva will no doubt take this competition seriously.
The FA Cup gives the Hornets some respite from the non-stop action of the Champions League, and they have to be a comedy here. Fulham's possible reshuffle opens the door and the return of Watford's seasoned professionals should help them against superior opposition.
This can be a back and forth cup tie that Premier League side ran away from.