Newcastle United have failed to progress past the third round of the FA Cup in each of their past three seasons, but manager Steve McClaren is determined to better their fortunes this campaign.
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“We need to win the game and to win the game, we need a damn good team out there, a damn good team, a team that can compete and has the possibility of winning”.
The Hornets, however, have surpassed all expectations and are sitting comfortably in ninth place. Am I devaluing the FA Cup by saying that, yes I probably am but the league must be more important to them.
If changes are to be made, it is expected that Troy Deeney or Odion Ighalo could be the men to miss out.
Steve McClaren could be forgiven for fearing he will be damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t at Watford on Saturday.
Jose Holebas may also be drafted in but Nathan Ake remains suspended while Tommie Hoban (groin) and Joel Ekstrand (knee) are out.
The Magpies star picked up the problem in last weekend’s defeat at Arsenal and is struggling to make the clash at Vicarage Road this weekend.
Rolando Aarons (foot) and Emmanuel Riviere (knee), though, are both back in contention, with Steven Taylor (hamstring) is closing in on a return.
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However, having experienced just how valuable a cup run can be to a club’s league form during his time in charge at Middlesbrough, the 54-year-old is hoping to establish a momentum to take into hard home games against Manchester United and West Ham over the next week or so.
