CHELSEA v WATFORD FA CUP THIRD ROUND Venue: Stamford Bridge Date: Sunday 4 January Kick-off: 16:00 GMT Several of Chelsea's first-team players are likely to be rested for the visit of Championship play-off contenders Watford in Sunday's FA Cup tie. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has an injured finger, so experienced understudy Petr Cech could slot in. And first-choice forwards Diego Costa and Eden Hazard could be left out after an arduous winter schedule. The Hornets have no new injury concerns, with Gabriel Tamas and Joel Ekstrand still unavailable and Sebastien Bassong ineligible under the terms of his loan arrangement with Norwich. This is a big day out for the travelling fans of Watford, with them having the largest following in the country. Watford at Chelsea: (6,000) - SELL OUT Sheffield Wednesday at Manchester City: (5,500) - SELL OUT Ipswich at Southampton: (5,500) - SELL OUT Leeds at Sunderland: (5,400) - SELL OUT Wrexham at Stoke: (4,600) - SELL OUT Newcastle at Leicester: (4,500) - Estimation Middlesbrough at Barnsley: (3,200) - Estimation Wigan at Bolton: (3,000) - Estimation Quotes: Jose Mourinho expects a day of carnage as top-flight clubs are dumped out of the FA Cup. The Special One thinks the third round will produce big shocks as Premier League sides are felled by teams from lower leagues. Mourinho pointed out that the Blues and their fellow big-hitters all played on New Year’s Day - unlike Football League sides. Which is why he fears the Hornets – especially with Chelsea still shell-shocked from their 5-3 defeat at Tottenham on Thursday night. Slavisa Jokanovic has admitted he was “not especially happy” Chelsea were beaten by Tottenham Hotspur but says Watford's FA Cup trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday is their "good chance". “I am not especially happy because they lost this game. The last [previous] game they drew against Southampton, now they’ve lost this game, so the level of the attention of Chelsea is going to be very, very high and we’re probably not going to find a team who is relaxed. But we must put them under some kind of pressure and some kind of problems to be competitive and to think about something important.”
There are plenty of problems doing a quick job for a match thread on the new format. Will try and add to it if I have time.
I had high hopes for this game, but I just feel that Spurs win dashed that. Jose will want a response. I just want our team to show what they can do, but I never know what side if the bed we have woken up on.
please log in to view this image Looks as if the team have arrived. They might need to do some stretching before the game.
"Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has an injured finger, so experienced understudy Petr Cech could slot in." Remember when Steve Sherwood hurt his finger - we got Gary Plumley to slot in? It's a different world up there...
Why did West Bromwich Albion, Leicester City and Newcastle United play yesterday? Are their footballers fitter?
Chelsea : Cech; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Cahill, Filipe Luis; Ramires, Mikel; Remy, Oscar, Schurrle; Drogba.
Watfordfc : Bond (GK); Hoban, Cathcart, Angella; Paredes, Munari, Tozser, Forestieri, Pudil; Ighalo, Deeney (C).
