Watford will need to be at their best to contain Louis Saha and Watford manager Graham Taylor has a major selection poser for the crunch clash with First Division leaders Fulham at Vicarage Road.
Left-back Paul Robinson and centre-back Robert Page are both suspended for the visit of Jean Tigana's side.
Robinson has incurred a two-match suspension for accumulating 10 yellow cards while Page serves a one-match ban for his red card against Everton in the FA Cup.
Taylor is likely to draft experienced defender Steve Palmer in as cover for Page but replacing Robinson is not as straightforward.
Peter Kennedy could be moved back from left-midfield or David Perpetuini, who has made four starts this term, could go straight into the left-back slot.
Taylor will be hoping for a better result than the 5-0 drubbing his side received from the Cottagers last month and the Hornets' recent form suggests they will fare better.
Last week's victory at Sheffield United was Watford's third straight league win and a fourth would be a major boost to their rejuvenated promotion push.
Sharp-shooters Louis Saha and Luis Boa Morte will continue up front
for Fulham with former German international Karlheinz Riedle set to
retain his seat on the bench.
Fulham captain Andy Melville expects wounded Watford to come out all guns blazing when the sides clash at Vicarage .
The First Division leaders inflicted a crushing 5-0 defeat on Graham Taylor's men on Boxing Day, with Barry Hayles grabbing his first League hat-trick.
But Melville, who has taken the armband in the absence of car crash-victim Chris Coleman, believes the pain of that drubbing and a recent revival will inspire Watford.
Melville said: "Watford are going to be well up for the game after Boxing Day. Their players and manager are sure to want to make up for it.
"They were in the middle of a bad run then but they have won their last three League games and will have more confidence.
"We had a run of two defeats but we ended that last week by beating Norwich. So both teams are on the up and it should be a good game.
"We were surprised to win 5-0 last time but we had to work hard all the same."
Melville knows he and his fellow defenders will have to keep a particularly close eye on Watford's top scorer, Tommy Mooney, who has scored four times in the last three games.
"Tommy is in great form," said Melville. "He's a goalscorer who comes alive in the 18-yard box.
"He is always on the move and trying to get on people's shoulders. We'll have to watch him but hopefully we will keep him quiet."
Fulham will be without Hayles, who has an ankle injury, and player-coach John Collins, who is still struggling with a hamstring problem. But winger Fabrice Fernandes in back from suspension and midfielder Lee Clark is set to shake off an Achilles injury.
Source bbc