Quique Sanchez Flores will make changes to his Watford side for Saturday's FA Cup third round tie against Newcastle United with Troy Deeney or Odion Ighalo candidates for a rest.

The Hornets head coach has resisted unnecessary rotation for Premier League fixtures with 12 players making ten or more league starts.

However, the FA Cup presents the Spaniard with the perfect chance to use players who haven’t featured regularly. He may also look to rest those who have been mainstays of the side.

While coy about who might be rested for the tie against Steve McClaren’s strugglers, Flores outlined his plans.

“We won’t make a lot of changes because I don’t want to change the personality of the team. But there are players who deserve to play and they will play,” he said.

Asked if Deeney or Ighalo could be rested, Flores replied: “It’s possible to rest at least one of them.

“Our main target is the Premier League because the most important thing is to stay up.

“We have come from a very tough December and we have a tough January, so we have to keep focused on our main objective.”

He continued: “The FA Cup is very attractive but we have to manage the players. We trust the players we will put in the first XI because we want to win. We have a lot of players who deserve to play but they haven’t been playing because others are doing well in the starting XI.

“We have similar cases to that of (Jose) Holebas. In the last two matches he has put in amazing performances but he hadn’t played before because (Nathan) Ake was playing so well in his position.”

The Spaniard hinted Jose Manuel Jurado, employed on the left-hand side of midfield in recent weeks, could move into the number ten role if Deeney or Ighalo were to be rested.

But Flores was reluctant to entertain the idea of handing either Obbi Oulare or Steven Berghuis their first starts for the club.

The pair have been used sparingly with striker Oulare yet to make his debut since joining from Club Brugge in the summer.

“Berghuis and Oulare are a little different in respect to the other players,” Flores said. They’re the future of this club and I am not in a hurry with them.”