Tomorrow's televised clash with Queens Park Rangers will bring back bitter-sweet memories for Watford manager Malky Mackay.

The corresponding fixture last year saw a Mackay-led Watford record one of their results of the season with an emphatic 3-0 win.

But speaking before yesterday's trip to Newcastle United Mackay explained: "It was good memories until six o'clock, when I was then told that I wasn't going to be manager. So up to six on that day was great.

"It was a different manager in charge, Paolo Sousa, and it was my last game in charge, so it is strange that round about the same time the following year it has come around again.

"It will be good to see [QPR boss] Jim Magilton and [assistant manager] John Gorman because they are good guys who I have known for a number of years."

Sky TV's decision to televise the match meant it was moved forward a day, resulting in Watford having less than 48 hours to travel back from Newcastle United and recover before taking on their rivals from West London.

When asked whether this would force him to rotate some of his squad, Mackay joked: "I don't know who I am going to rotate them for. If you tell me who I should rotate them for then fine.

"It is a small squad and we will certainly look at it on the Sunday. We will look at the fitness and see from there.

"It is not ideal but that is thrown up in this league throughout the year. This time it is for television, it can also be because of Christmas and Easter and things like that.

"It is something players have to deal with. We had it last year where we had to play Swansea twice in three days on a Sunday and a Tuesday. You just get on with it, there is an 'absolutely no excuses' culture."

One definite absentee from the line-up will be on-loan QPR striker Heidar Helguson, who will not be allowed to play against his parent club.

Mackay said they knew from "day one" that Helguson would be unavailable, so it gives someone else a "chance to take the jersey and run with it".

The Scot also dismissed suggestions his side would have to drastically change the way they play due to the Iceland international's absence.

Mackay said: "I don't think with the group of players I have there is one single way of playing. I think there is a balance to them and we can mix it up.

"That is not going to change whether Heidar is there or not.

"We don't have an out-and-out winger at the club but we still manage to manufacture a lot of chances, and before Heidar arrived we were scoring goals so I would like to think we can mix things up."