Watford vs Southampton Prediction & Betting Tips - FA Cup

Prediction published on 26/01/2024, 09:00  by Ian John | Modified on 28/01/2024 at 01:00 in FA Cup Prediction

Sunday's FA Cup tie between Watford and Southampton features two sides with genuine ambitions to get back to the Premier League from the Championship this season. 18 points separate Southampton in third to Watford in ninth, but the Hornets are just three points outside the playoff places in what is looking likely to be a very closely fought battle for playoff spots over the remainder of the season.

After a 4-1 home loss to Bristol City on Boxing Day, Watford have gone unbeaten in their next five games, including a 2-1 win over Chesterfield in the FA Cup Third Round early in January. That hard-fought win, courtesy of Tom Dele-Bashiru's 95th minute winning goal, sees them handed a chance to face Southampton. Valerien Ismael's team have the 14th best home record in the Championship and their win over Chesterfield was their first win in the FA Cup since losing the 2018/19 final 6-0 to Manchester City. They also faced Southampton in the fourth round of the competition in 2017/18 and were beaten 1-0 on that occasion. 

Southampton's four defeats in the Championship this season came in back-to-back games against Sunderland, Leicester, Ipswich and Middlesbrough in September. But since the 30th of that month, the Saints have been unbeaten. They comfortably despatched Walsall 4-0 in the Third Round of the FA Cup at the start of January and they have scored 11 goals in their last three games in all competitions, conceding just the one (which came in last weekend's 3-1 win at Swansea City). The Saints also have the third best away record in the division, and are unbeaten in their last 10 away games, including earning a 1-1 draw against today's opponents back in December.