The Christmas period will dictate whether Watford are "up or struggling" this season, in the mind of head coach Walter Mazzarri.

With six games in a spell of just 22 days starting tomorrow, the always busy festive period could easily plunge Watford closer to the relegation zone or move them up towards a European spot; they are seven and three points clear of each respectively.

The Hornets will face some tough games in that time, with Manchester City and Spurs among the teams to come, and Mazzarri feels strongly enough to label the mini-run as "deciding" their season.

He said: "It’s very important. The next six games will probably decide our future and decide if we are going to be in the PL in a certain way, if we are going to be up or playing in a different way, struggling more.

"These will decide this. We have been unlucky on injuries and in a couple of months in a bit of an emergency, and now we have to understand how the next games will provide the answer on the pitch."