Match Pack: Watford vs Saints
A second trip of the season to Watford awaits Southampton in the Emirates FA Cup fourth round. Get set for the clash with our Match Pack...
THE MATCH
Watford vs Saints
Sky Bet Championship
Vicarage Road
Sunday 28th January, 2pm GMT
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Oliver Langford
Assistants: Hristo Karaivanov, Graham Kane
Fourth official: Sam Allison
WHAT KIT WILL SAINTS BE WEARING?
Just like the trip in the Championship last month Saints will be in their white and teal away kit.
Ché Adams celebrates scoring at Watford in December.
HOW TO WATCH?
Due to FA Cup rules, the game is not available to watch live on Saints Play. Monthly and Seasonal subscribers can listen to live audio commentary via the Match Centre.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
Saints hit a well documented club record unbeaten run with victory at Swansea City last week, making it 21 games in all competitions unbeaten for the first time since entering the football league in 1920.
The motivation now, alongside progressing to the fifth round of the FA Cup for a fourth successive season, will be to aim for the all-time club record of 24 undefeated games with a positive result at Vicarage Road.
For Watford they'll be looking to right a pretty poor home record against Saints in all competitions; winning one of their last ten meetings in WD18.
They'll also be looking to progress to the fifth round for the first time since the 2015-16 season, where they eventually lost out in the semi-final to Crystal Palace.
TEAM NEWS
Saints were boosted this week with a return to the training field for Kamaldeen Sulemana, but assistant manager Matt Gill noted in the pre-match press conference he will "take some time to get up to full speed."
Joe Rothwell is in line for a first start since joining the club from AFC Bournemouth earlier this month, whilst Sam Edozie and James Bree are both "getting closer, but not for this weekend."
Watford could also be in line to feature a January loan signing, with forward Emmanuel Dennis rejoining the club from Nottingham Forest for the remainder of the season.
THE MANAGERS
Valérien Ismaël: To follow
Matt Gill: "“We certainly want to win the game. There will be some changes, of course, and lots of the players deserve to play.
"We’re going to need everyone between now and the end [of the season] anyway, so we need everybody to be as ready as they can be."
TOP SCORERS
Watford
Goals:Mileta Rajovic 9
Vakoun Bayo 6
Matheus Martins 5
Assists:Yáser Asprilla 5
Five players 3
Martins, Koné, Ince, Chakvetadze 2
Southampton
Goals:
Adam Armstrong 14
Ché Adams 9
Ryan Fraser 7
Assists:
Adam Armstrong 11
Stuart Armstrong 4
Alcaraz, Kamaldeen 3
ONES TO WATCH
Yáser Asprilla: Watford's attacking midfielder has certainly found his form over the last two months. Something manager Ismaël will be thankful for considering the busy schedule.
The Colombian has three goal contributions in his last eight games, taking his totals to four goals and four assists for the season.
Stuart Armstrong: The Scotland international is certainly looking confident in Russell Martin's system this season, typified by his form in recent weeks.
Armstrong has three assists in his last two games, including two at Swansea last time out, as he continues to provide the key attacking outlet for Saints.
HEAD TO HEAD
Played: 88
Watford: 27
Draws: 23
Saints: 38
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
December 2023: Watford 1-1 Saints (Adams)
March 2022: Saints 1-2 Watford (Elyounoussi)
October 2021: Watford 0-1 Saints (Adams)
June 2020: Watford 1-3 Saints (Ings x2, Ward-Prowse)
November 2019: Saints 2-1 Watford (Ings, Ward-Prowse)
DID YOU KNOW?
- Saints have won 16 of their last 24 away games in the FA Cup, including their last four in succession.
- Saints are unbeaten in their last nine away games at Vicarage Road since losing in September 2007.
KEEP UP TO DATE
Not joining us in London? We’ve got you covered! We’ll bring you all the behind-the-scenes content alongside the in-game action as we refocus our attentions to the FA Cup.
Check out our interactive match centre at southamptonfc.com, with live streaming of the game, key updates and audio commentary of the match, and be sure to download the official Saints app and follow us on social media for further updates and exclusive content:
