WATFORD manager Brendan Rodgers has said he had a feeling the Hornets would draw his old club, but insists that having the game at Vicarage Road is the most important part of the tie.

The Golden Boys have been handed a home fixture with the west Londoners in the FA Cup fifth round - one that appears to have been written in the stars with so many links between the two clubs.

Rodgers said: "I had a feeling. Our number one objective was to have a home draw, because I want to do well in the competition.

"I would love to do well in it, the win at the weekend was good and gives us great confidence looking forward.

"My ideal was to have a home draw and if I want a big team then I wouldn't want any other team except Chelsea.

"So when it came out I knew what number ourselves and Chelsea were, it was fantastic and from that moment the phone hasn't stopped!"

The links between the Premiership millionaires and the 'Orns are aplenty, aside from Rodgers; Jack Cork and Liam Bridcutt are both on loan from Stamford Bridge, while of course Frank Lampard Senior will come up against his free-scoring son.

That aside, Watford's Football Physiologist Karl Halabi is a former employee of the west Londoners as is the Hornets' Head of Medical Andy Rolls.

Jon Harley is another player to know Chelsea well, having played for them between 1998 and 2001.

"It's a wonderful tie, but it's an unbelievably hard task" added Rodgers. The Northern Irishman commented: "However once the euphoria of the draw went my mind has been focused on the next three league games.

"I've said that to the players - it's a great draw but we can't even think about it yet.

"At the moment the priority is the league, but we'll enjoy the romance of the FA Cup and the 25th anniversary [of reaching the FA Cup final] when it comes round and who knows what might happen."

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