FA Cup: Holders Launch Cup Defence – But Can Lightning Really Strike Twice?

Leicester City vs Watford

Their FA Cup success was the story of the season for me.

A truly memorable day when David upset Goliath on the biggest stage of all – victory over a team which would go onto to be crowned as champions of Europe just a fortnight later.

Those FA Cup highlights will live long in the memory for not just fans of Leicester City but also football fans across the world – in fact, probably everyone bar Chelsea supporters and those of Leicester’s rivals such as Nottingham Forest.

Now it’s time for them to begin the defence of the world’s oldest and still, in my eyes, the greatest cup competition of them all.

The Foxes against the Hornets, Brendan Rodgers against Claudio Ranieri, the man who brought them FA Cup glory up against the man who brought the club its greatest triumph of all – the 2016 Premier League title.

Talking Points

Ranieri is guaranteed a hero’s welcome in the east Midlands after pulling off the greatest fairytale in the modern-day game.

Whether he is capable of pulling off another magic act, by leading his current employers to safety, is also a tall order.

This is a team that enjoyed five successive seasons in the top flight until the summer of 2020 when the club’s trigger-happy owner arguably cost them a year.

FA Cup: Claudio Ranieri managed Leicester City in 2015-2017 — Watford manager Claudio Ranieri during their match against Tottenham Hotspur

So much so, Watford are now fighting again to stay amongst the elite after yet another managerial change – a move which was designed to avoid exactly this.

Seventeen managers in a decade (one boss appointed twice, as well as a caretaker who took charge in two different spells) tells its own story.

To a degree, the owners will say it has been worth it after Watford reached the semi-finals of this competition in 2016 and the final itself three years later, on top of becoming a fairly established top-flight team.

Realistically though, few bosses have been given a fair crack of the whip which means their status as yo-yo club is evident again and it’s hard to see Ranieri being in charge next term, regardless of whether Premier League status is secured.

So, would a cup run for the Hertfordshire club be a welcome distraction from the relegation battle or an unwanted one?

We are about to find out.

History

In history, Leicester have tasted success against Watford on 31 occasions with the Hornets victorious 21 times and a further 18 matches drawn.

Their first ever meeting actually came in the FA Cup in 1909 when the sides – Leicester were then known as Leicester Fosse – played out a 1-1 draw.

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Leicester made the most of home advantage to run out 3-1 winners in the first round replay.

Their last meeting in the famous old competition came in 1982 when a young Gary Lineker was in the Foxes’ line-up.

He didn’t score but team-mate John O’Neill did and that, plus an own goal, secured a 2-0 fifth-round victory.

When you think of these two sides it is hard not to recall May 2013 and an incredible Championship play-off semi-final which produced one of the most remarkable conclusions to a football match in history.

If you don’t believe me, just watch this!

You have to go back to April of that year (just a few weeks before the play-off games) for the last time Watford won on Leicester soil – a 2-1 Championship success courtesy of Troy Deeney and Nathaniel Chalobah.

Leicester’s reply that day came from an on-loan Harry Kane!

The sides have already met in the Premier League this term, also at the King Power Stadium, when the hosts ran out 4-2 winners with Jamie Vardy (two), James Maddison and Ademola Lookman – matchwinner in their brilliant festive victory over Liverpool – on target.

Josh King (penalty) and Emmanuel Dennis replied for Watford.