Watford meet Wolverhampton Wanderers at Wembley in their FA Cup Semi Final with Manchester City awaiting the winner in next month’s Final.
Team news
Watford will hand Roberto Pereyra and Isaac Success late fitness tests as they battle respective hip and knee injuries.
Success sat out the Hornets’ midweek win over Fulham after picking up his knee injury at Manchester United last weekend, whilst Pereyra was subbed against the Cottagers at half-time with his injury.
Tom Cleverley (calf) and Adalberto Penaranda (thigh) are nearly ready to return from a calf injury but won’t be risked here.
Wolves have no fresh injury concerns to report so Nuno Espirito Santo has a full squad available to select from.
Stat Attack
- Watford have lost their last three FA Cup meetings with Wolves, losing the last two by 4-1 results.
- Wolves have won four of five overall FA Cup ties against Watford but needed replays on two of those occasions.
- This is the first FA Cup meeting between these teams as Premier League clubs.
- Etienne Capoue is the only Watford player to net in consecutive FA Cup games this season, whereas three Wolves players (Raul Jimenez, Matt Doherty and Ivan Cavaleiro) have all scored in consecutive matches.
- Both teams have scored twice in three of their four FA Cup ties this season (excluding Wolves’ Fourth Round replay), only failing to do so in Fifth Round when both won 1-0 away at QPR and Bristol City respectively.
Prediction
This is one enormous semi-final between two teams currently battling for seventh in the Premier League because if whoever wins here finishes eighth in league, they could then deny the losing side an Europa League spot if they go on and win the Cup.
It’s hard to think of a previous scenario akin to this on top of two managers facing their first major semi-finals on English soil, so pressure will be key not only on the pitch but also in the tactics department.
This therefore is a tough one because both teams are very similar in that they aren’t afraid to play physical football and I can see at least extra time here.
Watford however have lost just one of their last five matches against Wolves and if they turn up, it will become five in six.
Prediction: Watford 2-1 (AET) Wolverhampton Wanderers
Result: Watford 3-2 AET Wolverhampton Wanderers