With one match to play and trailing Hull City by just a single point, Watford boss Gianfranco Zola is convinced his side can gain automatic promotion to the Premier League.

Two weeks ago, as the Hornets sat six points behind Hull with three games to go, their hopes of going up in the top two hung by a thread.

Tomorrow (Saturday), Watford know if their result at home to Leeds United is better than Hull’s against Cardiff City, they will avoid the play-offs and seal second place on the final day.

“I believe we can do it,” Zola said yesterday. “It’s been an incredible season and we absolutely believe we can do it.

“I believe we have to keep going right to the end because the Championship has been uncertain until the last game and it will be uncertain until the last minute of the last game as well.

“This has been a great season so far. Now we want to make it an unbelievable season and we will do our best to do that.”

A win for Hull against relegation strugglers Barnsley last weekend would have confirmed the Tigers’ spot in second place, but Steve Bruce’s side lost 2-0 to continue a miserable run of three games without a victory.

In contrast, Watford look to have their swagger back, winning their last two matches and scoring six goals in the process.

Zola admits Hull’s stuttering results have given his side encouragement but he insists it was only a matter of time before the Hornets rediscovered their form.

“The fact that Hull didn’t get the points they needed to maintain the distance has definitely increased our confidence,” he said.

“But I think our confidence mainly comes from the way we’ve been playing – when a player feels he is doing everything correctly and playing well, he knows it’s just a matter of time before things turn around.

“We’ve been patient, we’ve waited for the momentum to come back into our side and here we are – still in contention."

It promises to be a nail-biting afternoon of final day drama at Vicarage Road but when asked if he believes his players can handle the pressure, Zola was defiant.

“I leave it to you to decide,” he said. “We have played important games this season and the players always perform.

“I think the character of my players is there for all to see – I believe I have the type of team who play well under pressure.

“I have young players but I also have some experienced ones in the team and they are very good, positive people and they are leading the others in the right direction.

“We are used to it and we are looking forward to it.”

As a player Zola had to handle some big occasions himself. UEFA Cup finals, FA Cup finals and Cup Winners Cup finals are all listed on his CV but while the Italian says he will try to impart some of that experience to his team, he insists on the day it is down to the players.

“I can give them advice, I can give them my support, I can give them everything I’ve got,” he said.

“But at the end of the day it is the players who make the difference, they are the ones who take on board what I say and then make it happen on the pitch.

“We can only support them, as managers and as fans, we can get them to a certain stage then they are the protagonists, they are the people who have to make it happen.”

The players’ adrenaline will be pumping and Vicarage Road will boast a sell-out crowd but at 12.30pm tomorrow, Zola insists his message to his players will be one of calm.

“I will say we don’t have to do anything incredible or particularly special. I will be telling them the normal things – that it’s no different to any other other game.

“We have to play our normal game, with attention and concentration and also with passion, passion is very important.”