Watford may include a couple of Academy players in their squad to face Coventry City on Sunday but Malky Mackay insists "make no mistake, I want to win the game."

The Hornets secured their Championship status with an emphatic 3-0 win over Reading on Saturday.

The Watford boss said he may decide to include second-year scholar Piero Mingoia, who has recently signed a professional contract with the club, and Gavin Massey, a first-year scholar, in the matchday squad for the final outing of the season.

However, with Watford able to climb up to 15th should they win and other results go their way, Mackay is adamant his players won't be taking the game lightly.

"We will bring a couple of youngsters with us," the Hornets boss confirmed.

"Ideally this is the time of the year where you want to blood a couple, but in the last couple of weeks we have been able to get Michael Bryan in the team and Dale Bennett has been playing.

"If we are talking about the very young ones, like the Gavin Masseys and Piero Mingoias, Piero made the bench last week and certainly Gavin and Piero will be two that will come into my thoughts about coming on Sunday.

"But, make no mistake, I want to win the game on Sunday and whatever team I decide to put out will be going out to win it."

The Hornets are expected to once again be without a trio of first-team players for their trip to the Ricoh Arena.

Jay DeMerit is still struggling with an abdominal injury, Will Buckley is out with a hamstring tear and Ross Jenkins is unlikely to be risked.

Mackay said: "I would imagine Jay is finished for the season, I think it has come a week too early for him.

"He has a stomach strain and I doubt he will train at all this week.

"Again I think we are a week too early for Will. His had a slightly worse tear than Lloyd Doyley's and has taken longer to heal, so it is again another week before he will be fit.

"I'd imagine Ross won't be involved either as he has a slight strain on his hamstring and certainly with him touch and go, I don't want to do any long-term damage and he then misses pre-season."

Coventry have not won in their last ten matches and Watford will leapfrog the Sky Blues if they beat them at the weekend.

The Hornets could realistically finish 15th this season as Barnsley travel to Premier League-bound West Bromwich Albion, Derby County face promotion-chasing Cardiff City and Preston North End travel to Reading, who will be desperate to bounce back after last week's disappointing performance at Vicarage Road.