Costel Pantilimon almost missed out on playing in Watford’s FA Cup quarter-final win over Arsenal after an oversight in Watford’s team meeting on the morning of the game.

There was much confusion at the Emirates Stadium when, despite being named as a substitute, Pantilimon lined up in the tunnel in his kit and gloves moments before the Hornets’ clash with the Gunners.

During Friday’s press conference at the Hornets’ London Colney training base Quique Sanchez Flores stated Pantilimon would start in goal as he had done in the previous rounds against Leeds United and Nottingham Forest.

Yet the former Manchester City keeper almost missed out due to what BT Sport described as an “administrative error” by the Football Association.

In reality it was a mistake which came about from Watford’s team hotel in the build-up to the game in N7.

Flores named his side to face the Gunners at the team’s hotel on the morning of the game.

Heurelho Gomes’ number one magnet was placed on the tactics board between the sticks and none of Flores’ coaching staff corrected the Spaniard.

The mistake, we were told, only became apparent after the teamsheets had been submitted. The team captain and a member of staff from each side swap an hour-and-a-quarter before kick-off.

Roughly an hour before kick-off copies are delivered to the press and there was much surprise when Gomes was named as the Hornets’ starting goalkeeper ahead of Pantilimon.

However, the error went uncorrected until ten or 15 minutes before kick-off when a late change enabled the giant Romanian to take his place between the sticks as planned through the week.