Watford boss Nigel Pearson is keen not to put the meeting with fellow strugglers West Ham down as a must-win.

"It's a game in which both sides would have a huge benefit if we win, but the three games we have left are all opportunities," he said.

"This is our next game. Clearly this is a game where both sides have a huge amount to gain by winning, but I'm not going to classify games as more important than others.

"It's very important for us, like every game. We just need to make sure our commitment to having that positive intent is there, and we do what we can to win the game."

"On the face of it there's an awful lot riding on it, but it's also important that our players are able to go out there and free themselves up and play," he added.

"When you're under pressure that can certainly affect lots of different aspects of performance, but collectively we've shown a real resilience."