As Quique Sanchez Flores' Watford side prepare to face an out of sorts Southampton team at St Mary's on Wednesday, the Spaniard will know that his players will fancy their chances of taking all three points.
The Hornets bounced back from some recent bad form at the weekend, with a 1-0 victory over a Newcastle United side that suffered from the same problem they have had all season: a failure to be clinical in front of goal.
The result means Watford progress to the fourth round of The Emirates FA Cup where they will face Nottingham Forest away from home, in what promises to be a competitive tie.
"We must be competetive"
- Quique Sanchez Flores
In typical Flores fashion, the onus when speaking to the press this week was on how Watford must be "competitive" at all costs. The Spaniard was full of praise for a Southampton side that he described as a "very good team", highlighting their impressive Premier League performances over the past couple of seasons.
Flores furthermore highlighted the importance of not "[underestimating] any team" , despite the confidence that must be flowing through his players' veins after such a good season against all reason and expectation.
A different contest beckons
He did, however, suggest that Watford were a different animal compared to the last time these two teams met at the start of the season - a game that finished in a scoreless draw. The Spaniard highlighted the importance of his players being confident, and suggested he has the impression when they go out on the pitch that "they know perfectly what they need to do".
Watford, however, have not quite been able to execute their game plan in recent weeks, and must bound back from successive Premier League defeats - late 2-1 losses against both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, the latter courtesy of a Yaya Toure equaliser and Sergio Aguero winner in the last 10 minutes of the game.
A match up against struggling Southampton might just be the perfect tonic - particularly if Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo can terrorise the Saints' defence as much as they have to others' this campaign - but despite some poor form this season, Southampton are still bound to be a threat. Flores knows his side are in for a "tough game".
Struggles for the Saints
It has been an awful season for Ronald Koeman and his Saints side, especially after flying high for much of the campaign last time out. Instead, Southampton now sit in 12th place in the table, just five points above Newcastle United in the relegation places.
Southampton also come into the fixture off successive Premier League defeats to Norwich City and West Ham United - with a 2-1 FA Cup third round defeat to Crystal Palace sandwiched in between.
Koeman, then, will be looking to quickly rally the troops, and they must take heart in the 4-0 win over Arsenal that for now must seem so far in the past - but in reality the fantastic performance was only three weeks ago.
The players must believe in the fact that with the breadth of talent at their disposal, Southampton should soon click again. Whether or not this will come against Watford on Wednesday night remains to be seen, but Flores' Hornets will fancy their chances of upsetting the apple cart once more.
