Watford v Leeds preview: Quique Sanchez Flores hunting cup glory

By Lewis Jones

Image: Quique Sanchez Flores is targeting FA Cup glory.

Watford and Leeds meet in the FA Cup for the first time on Saturday as both teams battle for a place in the quarter-finals.

Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores has hinted that he'll pick his strongest side and will give late fitness checks to Miguel Britos and Jose Manuel Jurado after they returned to training in the week.

Joel Erkstrand and Tommie Hoban remain long-term absentees.

Sanchez Flores said: "The league is our main priority, of course, and we are really close, but now we are able to change the mentality when we are going to play in the FA Cup.

"Our focus this week is on the FA Cup, we are playing at home with our fans, so we accept the responsibility to try and win this match."

Advertisement

Leeds, who are 16th in the Championship, are once again expected to be without striker Chris Wood, who hasn't recovered fully from a hamstring injury that has kept him out the last three games. He is also suffering with a virus.

Watford's manager Quique Sanchez Flores thinks Troy Deeney should be called into the England squad

Full-back Gaetano Berardi could make his first appearance since December after shaking off his ankle injury and Mustapha Carayol is available again after being ineligible for the game against his parent club Middlesbrough on Monday.

Also See:

Paul Merson's prediction

Leeds can't make the play-offs in the Championship so they can have a good go at this game. You can guarantee there will be a lot of Leeds fans in Watford on Saturday. It's scary a club of that size has been out of the Premier League for so long.

Image: Deeney will look to fire Watford into the quarter-finals.

Only one thing wins you the FA Cup; the draw. If you draw Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham or Manchester City away, you aren't winning the cup. Getting a good draw wins you the FA Cup. Despite Leeds travelling in numbers, this is a good draw for Watford. I think they have got a chance of going all the way. 

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (Sky Bet odds 11/2)

Opta stats

There have been 29 goals scored in the last six meetings between Watford and Leeds.

Troy Deeney has scored six goals in his last six appearances against Leeds and picked up a red card in the one game where he didn't find the net.

Highlights from the Championship clash between Leeds and Middlesbrough

There have been five red cards in the last seven meetings between Watford and Leeds.

Watford have only ever lost four of their 48 FA Cup matches at home to lower league opposition (W38 D6 L4).

Leeds have only ever won two of their 23 FA Cup games away at teams from a higher division (W2 D6 L15).

The Whites have kept just one clean sheet in their last 13 FA Cup matches.

Betting

Watford are Sky Bet's 8/13 favourites to progress on Saturday with Leeds at 9/2 to win and 29/10 to earn a replay back at Elland Road. The Hornets are eighth in the outright market at 20/1, while Steve Evans' side are given the joint second longest odds of those left in the competition at 100/1. Odion Ighalo heads the first goalscorer betting at 7/2.

Image: Odion Ighalo (r) can be backed at 7/2 to score the first goal.
Outbrain