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Cottagers Look to Maintain Unbeaten Run Against Struggling Hornets
Fulham return to FA Cup action on Thursday night as they host Watford at Craven Cottage in the third round.
Marco Silva’s side are enjoying a strong Premier League campaign, sitting in the top half of the table. However, they were left frustrated last weekend after a 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town. Despite the setback, Fulham remain unbeaten in their last eight matches across all competitions and will look to carry that momentum into the cup.
Meanwhile, Watford have struggled to maintain consistency this season, slipping to ninth in the Championship following four losses in their last five outings. Tom Cleverley’s side will hope the FA Cup provides a welcome distraction from their league troubles, though their recent record against Fulham is poor.
Match Details
- Location: Craven Cottage, London, England
- Date: Thursday, 9 January 2025
- Kick-off Time: 19:45 GMT / 14:45 ET / 11:45 PT
- Referee: Matt Donohue
- VAR: Not in use
Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Fulham: 3 wins
- Watford: 0 wins
- Draws: 2
- Last Meeting: Watford 4-1 Fulham (2 April 2019, Premier League)
Current Form (All Competitions)
| Fulham | Watford |
|---|---|
| Fulham 2-2 Ipswich (05/01/25) | Watford 1-2 Sheffield Utd (04/01/25) |
| Fulham 2-2 Bournemouth (29/12/24) | QPR 3-1 Watford (01/01/25) |
| Chelsea 1-2 Fulham (26/12/24) | Watford 1-2 Cardiff (29/12/24) |
| 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) |
How to Watch
| Country | TV Channel / Live Stream |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra – not televised |
| United States | ESPN+, ESPN App |
| Canada | Sportsnet Now, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario |
Team News
Fulham:
Marco Silva is expected to rotate his squad after Sunday’s draw with Ipswich. Raul Jimenez, who scored the equalizer, may be rested, allowing Rodrigo Muniz an opportunity to start.
Injuries to Reiss Nelson (hamstring) and Kenny Tete (knee) keep them sidelined until February. Meanwhile, Harrison Reed remains unavailable, though Sander Berge could return from an ankle injury.
Predicted Fulham Lineup (4-2-3-1):
Leno; Castagne, Diop, Cuenca, Sessegnon; Pereira, Lukic; Traore, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Muniz.
Watford:
The visitors are without first-choice goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann, meaning Jonathan Bond will continue in goal. Manager Tom Cleverley is expected to bring in experienced players like Moussa Sissoko, Ryan Porteous, and Tom Ince to bolster the lineup.
Kevin Keben remains sidelined, but Tom Dele-Bashiru could return from a knee injury.
Predicted Watford Lineup (3-5-2):
Bond; Porteous, Pollock, Sierralta; Andrews, Kayembe, Sissoko, Louza, Ngakia; Bayo, Baah.
Prediction
Watford’s poor form and Fulham’s excellent record at Craven Cottage make the Premier League side clear favorites. However, the Hornets could pose a challenge if their experienced players step up. Fulham’s rotation might leave the door open, but their quality should see them edge past the visitors.
Prediction: Fulham 2-1 Watford
