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Nottingham Forest vs Watford. The FA Cup Fourth Round.

The City GroundAttendance24,703.

Nottingham Forest 0

    Watford 1

    • O Ighalo (89th minute)

    Nottingham Forest v Watford preview: Nordin Amrabat and Costel Pantilimon to make Hornets debuts

    Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores
    Image: Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores is likely to field a weakened line-up against Nottingham Forest this weekend

    Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores is set to ring the changes when his side travel to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.

    The Hornets are currently enjoying an impressive campaign in the Premier League, sitting in 10th place having been promoted from the Championship last season.

    However, the Spaniard is likely to use this weekend's trip to the City Ground to give some of his first-team players a rest ahead of the visit of champions Chelsea in the Premier League on Wednesday.

    "We have to think about everything, so now is the perfect time to take other players who are training well and who deserve to play. It is necessary for everybody to do their best and to have a very good performance," said Flores.

    "We respect a lot this competition, we try to pick the best team that is possible," he said.

    "It is amazing to think that maybe 4,000 Watford fans will follow our team again.

    "I say it always, we are making a big effort every single week with an idea to show them that we have a big spirit, soul and ambition to transmit the dreams of the Watford fans."

    Also See:

    Merson's FA Cup predictions
    Merson's FA Cup predictions

    See who Paul Merson is tipping to win in the FA Cup this weekend

    Nordin Amrabat and Costel Pantilimon are both in line to make their full debuts for the visitors, with Flores set to rest up to six players from his regular starting XI.

    Defenders Tommie Hoban (groin) and Joel Ekstrand (knee), though, remain unavailable for Watford.

    Forest, meanwhile, head into this tie unbeaten in their last 13 matches despite a disappointing goalless draw with Queens Park Rangers in midweek.

    That result left Dougie Freedman's team in 11th place in the Championship, seven points off the play-offs.

    Odion Ighalo of Watford celebrates as he scores their second goal against Liverpool
    Image: Odion Ighalo has scored nine goals in his last 14 competitive appearances for Watford

    Merson's prediction

    Forest are flying, they are unbeaten in 13 matches. But since Watford beat Newcastle they are almost safe, they just need a few more wins, so they can concentrate on this game and try to get something out of it. Even though Forest are on a run, they have drawn a few games and I think this will be another one.

    PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (Sky Bet odds 9/2)

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    Paul Merson gives his predictions on all of Saturday's games in the FA Cup

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    The last time these two sides met in the FA Cup was in 1989 when Forest beat Watford 3-0 at Vicarage Road in the fifth round.

    They have met only one other time in the cup, when they played in the first FA Cup competition after World War II - the Hornets progressing after two legs and a replay in the third round.

    Forest beat West Ham 5-0 in January 2014, the last time they faced Premier League opposition in the FA Cup.

    Watford are winless in five away FA Cup ties (D1 L4), though four of these games were against either Chelsea or Manchester City.

    Odion Ighalo has scored nine goals in his last 14 competitive appearances for Watford.

    Watford have failed to score in their last two competitive away games - they haven't gone three away games without scoring in a row since January 2012.

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