There are two ways Watford’s trip to West Ham United tonight can be viewed. Some will see it as an unwelcome rescheduled fixture that could affect the Hornets’ build-up for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace, but the counter argument is that it breaks up this week and could help take the players’ minds off Wembley.

Tommy Smith feels there is some validity to the second viewpoint and said: “I think it might be quite a nice distraction because it’s quite a long week otherwise building up to Sunday. So in a way it probably is good.

“It will be interesting to see the team selection, see what changes are made in preparation for Sunday but obviously you can’t change everyone so it will be interesting to see what he (Quique Sanchez Flores) does.

“But I think it will probably be a welcome distraction and having got the great win [at West Bromwich Albion], Watford can relax a little bit now in the league and just go out and enjoy it.

"West Ham will be a great opposition to play at this moment in time as well, they played Sunday so both teams will be looking just to relax and enjoy the occasion.”

The two-time Hornets Player of the Season is more than qualified to discuss what the build-up to a FA Cup semi-final is like, having played in the last-four clashes in 2003 and 2007 when Watford were beaten by Southampton and Manchester United respectively.

Smith’s message is, as much as possible, to treat it like any another fixture, although he acknowledged the venue for Sunday’s tie is an extra factor to contend with.

“I just tried to view it [a semi-final] as another game really,” he told the Watford Observer on Monday. “You can’t build it up too much but it’s hard not to because the build-up always is different and there’s something so special about Wembley. Whoever you are, English or whatever country you come from, I think Wembley’s got such a history to it, it marks any occasion.

“There’s going to be a different feel to the game going into it but you do have to try to not build it up too much, just prepare like it’s a normal game and prepare properly which I’m sure they will be doing and enjoy the occasion.

“I think that’s the most important thing, to try and relax and enjoy the occasion as much as you can and that way you will get the best out of yourselves.”