A much-changed Chelsea side have failed to find a first-half breakthrough against Championship Watford in their FA Cup third-round tie at Stamford Bridge.
After a Christmas without much rotation, Jose Mourinho has rested key men such as Eden Hazard, Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas for the London derby.
Didier Drogba captains the second-string Blues and had their best chance to open the scoring when his thumping header was well kept out by Jonathan Bond.
World Cup winner Andre Schurrle has found opportunities hard to come by of late for the Premier League leaders and will not have impressed Mourinho by blazing over when well placed on 24 minutes.
Defender Gary Cahill proved a constant threat from dead-ball situations and glanced a near-post header just wide. Set pieces appeared the most likely source as Chelsea struggled to unlock the Hornets.
The visitors were still the more probable, with Watford, who are managed by former Blues flop Slavisa Jokanovic, threatening only when Troy Deeney and Daniel Tozser brought easy saves out of Petr Cech.
Joe Fish
