Watford v Crystal Palace
Saturday 16th 1215hrs
Football – England – FA Cup
Pick Both teams to score
Bookmaker Betfair
Odds: 20/23 (odds taken 17.00 GMT, Wednesday 13th March)
Saturday represents a huge opportunity for both Watford and Crystal Palace to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup, play at Wembley and be within one game of the final itself. Such opportunities do not come along all that often and it’s one they will both be looking to grab.
Watford Preview
Whichever measure you use, it’s been a terrific season for Watford, and it could get better yet. Javi Gracia is in his first full season in charge which makes it even more remarkable that the Hornets have been in the top eight for virtually the whole season and are preparing for their second FA Cup quarter-final in the space of three seasons. It’s fair to say that Gracia never set out to make progress in the competition with the Premier League of a much bigger priority. Their participation in the early rounds of the competition seen Watford make 11 changes in games against Woking and Newcastle United. The head coach came in for plenty of criticism on the back of that and accused of devaluing the competition. Having negotiated those matches with a minimum of fuss, it was a much stronger and more recognisable team that faced QPR in the last round, a game that turned into something of a battle but Watford done enough to edge past their London rivals and have been rewarded with their first home game of this year’s competition where they face another derby match. Of course, it was Palace who got the better of them at Wembley in 2016 so there will certainly be a sense of revenge in the minds for the Vicarage Road club.
Key-Facts – Watford v Crystal Palace
- This quarter-final clash is a rematch of the 2016 FA Cup semi-final which Palace won 2-1
- Watford have edged Palace out 2-1 in both league meetings played this season.
- Five of Watford’s last seven at home and seven of Palace’s last night away have ended with both teams scoring
Crystal Palace Preview
Reaching the final in 2016 and coming agonisingly close to lifting the trophy for the first time in their history. It was only the second time ever that they had ever made it to the final and is an indication to just how rare it is for the club to make the latter stages of the FA Cup, Another one presents itself for Roy Hodgson who, despite his lengthy career as a manager, has never won the competition either. He’s led this Palace team to the quarter finals by seeing off Grimsby away from home, Tottenham at Selhurst Park and then back on the road in the last round against Doncaster. The Spurs match is the obvious stick out in their run so far but they have reached the last eight without conceding a goal, emphasising how professional and clinical they have been. Granted, if you asked the supporters in attendance at home to Grimsby in the third round if they would be confident of making it to within one game of Wembley it would probably be a resounding no. Hodgson’s men are in a much better form now, are virtually safe in the league and can now properly target this game.
Watford v Crystal Palace Betting Advice
That 2016 FA Cup holds painful memories for both of these clubs. Watford were left licking their wounds having coming so close to reaching the final only to fall at the final hurdle whilst the pain was even greater for Palace who came within nine minutes of winning the final, only to lose out to Manchester United in extra time. The two clubs will be hoping that 2019 has a much happier ending but only one can progress and with Watford being at home and having beaten Palace in both their league meetings it is the visitors who are favoured, although only slightly.
The two meetings in the league were closely fought affairs with Watford prevailing 2-1 on both occasions and whilst that may give them some sort of edge, Gracia and his players know the threat Palace will pose. Those two matches ended with both teams finding the net, as have five of Watford’s last seven home games and seven of Palace’s last nine away matches making both teams to score at Vicarage Road on Saturday the most appealing bet.
