Malky Mackay believes Watford’s play-off rivals will not want to face his side as the season heads towards its conclusion and claims he prefers to face teams challenging for a top-six spot.

Five of the Hornets’ last seven games are against clubs in the top half of the table and challenging for promotion.

Watford will be desperate to pick up points against Hull City tomorrow (Saturday) and Norwich City on Tuesday to keep their play-off dreams alive as they are currently seven points behind sixth-placed Reading.

But when asked if two defeats in the next week would end Watford’s play-off dreams, Mackay replied: “I don’t know about that. It is one of those ones where we know we have teams around us to play – Hull City, Norwich City, Leeds United, Leicester City, QPR – they are all teams up there or thereabouts.

“But I would rather play these sort of teams just now and I do not think any of these teams will want to play Watford in the last seven games.

“I am delighted we have challenges ahead and we will go into every one of those seven games trying to win and trying to get as high a points tally as we can.

“If that takes us to the play-offs then great but what you will get is this squad making sure they goes into every game in the last seven trying to win.”

Only goal difference separates Hull and Watford but the Tigers have an exceptional away record as Nigel Pearson’s men have not lost on the road since September.

Hull, who signed strikers Matt Fryatt and Aaron Mclean in January, have won their last three away games 1-0 and victory on Saturday will be a club record for consecutive victories away from the KC Stadium.

Mackay said: “They are very disciplined in their approach and Nigel has added to his squad, he has brought in two £1m forwards and their goal threat has subsequently changed.

“He has had the ability to bring in two good players to add to what is already a good squad. He is an experienced manager and I am not surprised Hull are up there.”

Watford should be boosted by the return of experienced defensive duo Lloyd Doyley and Adrian Mariappa, who was suspended for last week’s 2-0 defeat to Coventry City.

Mackay said: “Lloyd is back in the squad and back training again so I am delighted he has returned. He is an important player for us and he is one of my men so to have lost him and Mariappa last week was a big blow.

“Their return is huge. In January we lost John Eustace and Don Cowie, in February we lost Will Buckley and Lloyd Doyley and then this last couple of weeks we have lost Doyley again, and Mariappa was missing with suspension last week.

“We had been incredibly fortunate with the injuries to our main men and our experienced players before Christmas but since then we have lost a few.

“We know with the size of our squad that we cannot afford to lose the experienced guys so it is a bonus to have them back.”

There are doubts over Troy Deeney and Andreas Weimann though, and Michael Bryan is expected to miss out once again.

Mackay said: “Troy Deeney has been ill for a couple of days this week and we will monitor him tomorrow. Andi Weimann has had a knock as well so we will monitor him. Michael Bryan has also been too ill to train this week. We will have to see tomorrow (Friday) where we stand.”