Non-league Chesterfield are hoping to pull off a massive upset in the FA Cup this weekend as they travel to Vicarage Road to face Watford.
Watford currently sit 10th in the EFL Championship with nine wins, nine draws and eight losses from twenty-six games this season.
The Hornets are having a fairly solid campaign as they sit in the top half of the table, seemingly looking like an outside bet for the playoff places.
They’re coming into this game amidst a blip in their form having failed to win any of their last three games.
Their latest outing saw them held to a 3-3 draw away at Plymouth Argye with goals from Edo Kayembe, Ismaël Koné and Ryan Andrews enough for a point.
Watford reached the final of this competition back in 2019, but they’re fared pretty poorly in the FA Cup since that excellent run having failed to win any of their last five games in this competition, scoring just one goal in their last three FA Cup games.
Their form on home soil has been a real issue of late too, with Valérien Ismaël’s side having failed to win any of their last four games on home soil.
Their form at Vicarage Road in the FA Cup, however, is very strong, with Watford unbeaten on home soil in this competition since 2012.
Watford are strong favourites for this game no doubt, but if there is to be a giant killing in this round of the FA Cup then this could be where it occurs.
Chesterfield currently sit top of the National League with twenty wins, two draws and three losses from twenty-five games.
The Spireites are flying in the fifth tier of English football and come into this game with the wind in their sails having won seven of their last eight games, the most recent of which was a 3-2 win over Solihull Moors thanks to goals from Tom Naylor, Ryan Colclough and Will Grigg.
They’ve played three times in this competition already this season and have won all three games by a combined scoreline of 7-0.
They’ve also claimed two EFL scalps so far having registered successive 1-0 wins over Portsmouth and Leyton Orient, so Chesterfield will have no fear over a game against a Championship opponent.
Those wins did, though, both come on home soil, and their not quite as strong on the road as they come into this game having lost two of their last four away games.
Regardless, they’re a very live underdog coming into this game and it would be unwise to write off their chances.
For our Watford vs. Chesterfield prediction, we’re going for a 2-1 win for the home side.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of our previews, tips and offers for this weekend’s action.