THE last time the Clarets met the Hornets, Glen Little scored the only goal in the opening minutes and the club went on a six match winning streak.

How Stan Ternent will be hoping that his side can repeat the trick.

The two sides come face to face at Vicarage Road suffering a similar slump in form as neither team managed to register a victory in the league last month.

Gianluca Vialli's side was well fancied for success at the start of the season but the man who led Chelsea to success at home and abroad has found life in the first division tough.

The Hornets have won just 11 of their 30 games as his assortment of big names, experienced players and promising youngsters has failed to gel into a successful side.

In the past few weeks he has added Australia's international skipper Paul Okon, Arsenal's England Under-21 star Jermaine Pennant and Ipswich defender Wayne Brown to his squad in an effort to spark a revival that might allow a late surge up the table.

But it would take something remarkable from Watford to get into contention for a play-off spot, especially given the fact that the only thing they have done consistently is they have been inconsistent.

South African international defender Pierre Issa has missed the last few games because he has been on duty at the African Cup of Nations but despite his country's defeat by host nation Mali on Sunday, tonight's game is likely to come too quickly for a return.

In their last match they took a point from a 1-1 draw at Preston North End, with Gifton Noel Williams scoring a second half equaliser, but they only collected one other point in January.

Alec Chamberlain is currently first choice keeper while Vialli has the international pair of Italian Filippo Galli and Swiss Ramon Vega in the heart of the defence.