Scott Dann explains why Crystal Palace’s last big FA Cup win over Watford counts for little ahead of Saturday’s quarter-final clash
BY ANDREW MCSTEEN
Scott Dann reckons Crystal Palace can’t take much from their last FA Cup win over Watford – with tomorrow’s opponents flying high in the Premier League.
The Eagles won at Wembley in the 2016 semi-final. This time the two clubs clash at Vicarage Road with a last four slot awaiting the victors.
Asked about using their experience of dumping the Hornets out at the national stadium, Dann said: “It is probably a bit different in the sense that they are going really well in the league.
“It is away from home, but our form away from home has been really good. We know it is going to be tough, but we feel if we can put the things right that didn’t go right against Brighton and get back to the type of form we have shown in recent weeks, we can go there and get the result we need to get through.”
Palace and Watford have clashed in a number of crucial matches in recent years – the 2012-13 Championship play-off final, that FA Cup semi-final plus plenty of needle in recent matches.
Troy Deeney admitted in September that they “took it in turns” to kick Eagles star Wilfried Zaha – already seen as public enemy number one by Hornets fans for winning the crucial penalty which took the South Londoners into the Premier League.
“When you have those types of games, maybe a surprising rivalry starts to crop up,” said Dann. “I think it probably feels as though there has been one, but I think it is more to do with the games that we have played them in and what’s been at stake [than anything else].”
Dann spent almost 12 months on the sidelines following knee surgery but had his first Premier League start since suffering the injury at the end of 2017 in the recent 3-1 victory at Burnley.
“I was out for a long time and I came back at a time when all the lads were doing well,” he said.
“Unfortunately, we lost Mama [Sakho], which gives me and Martin [Kelly] a chance to try and get in the team, but it is really good to be back.
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