Fulham qualifies for the third round of the FA Cup on Thursday when it faces Watford at Craven Cottage.
Marco Silva's side sit in the top half of the Premier League table after the halfway mark, but they have been left frustrated by… Claiming a point against Ipswich Town last time out.
However, the Cottagers have proven to be strong contenders for the division's best teams this season, with Liverpool and Arsenal among the teams to drop points against the west London side.
They have typically surrendered in the fourth round of the competition in recent years, with their previous defeat at this early stage coming back in 2019.
Watford have an excellent record against their upcoming opponents, but they head into Thursday's cup tie in very poor form, having made a strong start to the Championship season. The Hornets fell to ninth place after losing four of their previous five matches.
They have also had plenty of third-round woes since the final defeat to Manchester City in 2019.
here 90 minutes Guide to Fulham Against Watford in the third round of the FA Cup.
Fulham and Watford live results (last five matches)
Current form (all competitions)
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Fulham |
Watford |
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Fulham 2-2 Ipswich – 01/05/25 |
Watford 1-2 Sheffield United – 04/01/25 |
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Fulham 2-2 Bournemouth – 12/29/24 |
Queens Park Rangers 3-1 Watford – 01/01/25 |
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Chelsea 1-2 Fulham – 12/26/24 |
Watford 1-2 Cardiff – 12/29/24 |
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Fulham 0-0 Southampton – 12/22/24 |
Watford 2-1 Portsmouth – 12/26/24 |
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Liverpool 2-2 Fulham – 12/14/24 |
Burnley 2-1 Watford – 12/21/24 |
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nation |
TV Channel/Live Broadcast |
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UK |
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra – not televised |
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US |
ESPN+, the ESPN app |
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Canada |
Sportsnet NowSportsnet EastSportsnet OntarioSportsnet PacificSportsnet WestSportsnet Now Plus |
Silva is bound to tweak his squad after Sunday's draw with Ipswich. Raul Jimenez, who saved a point for the Cottagers, is expected to be rested.
Silva has Rodrigo Muniz, who has so far failed to build on his outstanding 2023/24 campaign, in reserve. He will be keen to score goals here.
Reiss Nelson and Kenny Tete will not return until February at the earliest due to hamstring and knee injuries, but Sander Berge has a chance to return from an ankle problem on Thursday. Harrison Reed is still on the sidelines.
Fulham's expected lineup against Watford (4-2-3-1): lino ; Chestnut, Diop, Cuenca, Sessegnon; Pereira, Lukic; Traoré, Smith Roy, Iwobi; Muniz.
Watford will be without goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann for an extended period due to an ankle ligament injury, so Jonathan Bond should get the nod between the sticks for the foreseeable future.
There will likely be less turnover from the visitors than from their hosts, but there is bound to be some shuffling from manager Tom Cleverley. Experienced trio Moussa Sissoko, Ryan Porteous and Tom Ince could slot into Watford's 3-5-2 formation, while Fakoun Issouf Bayo could be added up top.
Kevin Kibben will miss out, but Tom Dele Bacheiro could be in contention after recovering from a knee injury.
Expected Watford lineup against Fulham (3-5-2): association; Porteous, Pollock, Serralta; Andrews, Kayembe, Sissoko, Loza, Ngakia; Come on, bah.
Watford's miserable form entering Thursday's game does not bode well, with Fulham having lost only twice at the Cottage Stadium in the Premier League this season. Although European football is a possibility, Silva will certainly take this competition seriously.
The FA Cup gives the Hornets some respite from the tough Championship games, and they should be able to compete here. A potential reshuffle at Fulham opens the door, and the return of Watford's experienced professionals would help them take on the superior opposition.
This could be a back and forth tie which Premier League The side runs away from.
