Malky Mackay says he is looking forward to seeing Brendan Rodgers again but insists there has not been any extra focus on the Swansea City manager ahead of tonight’s match.

Mackay was first team coach under Rodgers before the Northern Irishman left to join Reading last year and the Hornets boss confirmed he still speaks to the Northern Irishman on a regular basis.

Rodgers lost his job with the Royals before they visited Vicarage Road in April and the former Chelsea Reserve team boss is expected to receive a heated reception from the home crowd when Swansea face Watford tonight.

But when asked yesterday if the players had been talking about the return of Rodgers in the past few days, Mackay replied: “No nothing has been said at all.

“After the weekend they have warmed down and had their debrief today [Monday] and now we will start to focus on Swansea.

“There is no extra special focus on Brendan. It is all about Swansea and their team on the pitch.

“We have looked at them and Martin Hodge, our opposition analysist, has done his reports and we will study those.”

When asked if he is looking forward to seeing Rodgers again on a personal level though, Mackay replied: “Absolutely, we talk pretty regularly on the phone. I rang him just a few weeks ago actually to ask how things were going at his new club and how he was settling in at Swansea.”

Mackay is expected to reintroduce Andrew Taylor at left back after he was ineligible to face parent club Middlesbrough on Saturday. This should result in Lloyd Doyley returning to right back and Lee Hodson dropping to the bench.

That should be the only change to the starting XI though after Mackay confirmed he has no fresh injuries affecting the starting line-up.

“We have a couple of bumps and bruises but nothing which will stop anyone in the squad from playing,” Mackay said.

One player who is definitely out of the 18-man squad is defender Dale Bennett.

The young centre back was spotted on crutches at Saturday’s match but Mackay confirmed his injury is not too serious.

“Dale will be out for just under two weeks,” Mackay said.

“It was a whack and a turned ankle but the swelling is coming down now and we will treat him this week and hope to get him back into light training next week.”

Watford are favourites going into tonight’s match after climbing up to third in the Championship following three consecutive victories.

Swansea have also not won on the road since beating Watford 1-0 in March nine matches ago, although they have twice been victorious in the League Cup away from the Liberty Stadium this season.

Influential midfielder Darren Pratley is a doubt for tonight’s match with a shoulder problem and David Cotterill is definitely out with a groin strain.

In-form forward Scott Sinclair and striker Stephen Dobbie should return to the starting XI though and Angel Rangel [thigh] and Craig Beattie [calf] could be part of the 18-man squad.