Zaha injured as Palace and Watford start FA Cup action

Fantasy Premier League managers are about to learn more about the fixtures that will take place in Blank Gameweek 33.

The FA Cup quarter-finals start today with Watford hosting Crystal Palace in the early kick-off.

If the Hornets win the tie then their meeting with Fulham on April 6 will be postponed and moved to another Gameweek.

However, a victory for Palace would see Watford and the Cottagers confirmed for Blank Gameweek 33 and a postponement for the Eagles.

That would also see Newcastle Blank that weekend as they are currently scheduled to host Roy Hodgson’s men on April 6.

As for today’s match at Vicarage Road, Wilfried Zaha (£6.9m) misses out with a tight hamstring after failing a fitness test earlier this week. That will be discouraging news for anyone looking to sign the Ivory Coast international, especially with Double Gameweeks on the horizon.

“The problem with Wilf is really relating to the Brighton game. He came off with a tight hamstring and we’ve been nursing it all week. We tested it early on Thursday, because we didn’t want to leave it to the very last minute, and he didn’t come through that. The hamstring problem is still there so we couldn’t risk him.” – Roy Hodgson

That means Michy Batshuayi (£6.5m) leads the line on his own, flanked by Andros Townsend (£5.8m) and Max Meyer (£5.5m).

Patrick van Aanholt (£5.4m) is also absent for Crystal Palace, but as yet there has been no confirmation of an injury. Jeffrey Schlupp (£4.5m) has dropped to left-back.

Having rested key players in recent Premier League matches, Watford have named their strongest XI possible as their focus increasingly shifts to the FA Cup now that their survival from relegation is well-secured.

Watford XI: Gomes; Holebas, Cathcart, Mariappa, Femenia; Pereyra, Capoue, Doucouré, Hughes; Deulofeu, Deeney.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; Schlupp, Tomkins, Kelly, Wan-Bissaka; Kouyaté, Milivojevic, McArthur; Meyer, Batshuayi, Townsend.