Head Coach Chris Wilder explained that he and his Watford players are under no illusions about the importance attached to tomorrow’s Sky Bet Championship trip to Luton Town (Saturday April 1, 12.30pm KO), for a variety of reasons.

While relatively new to his role with the Hornets, the 55-year-old is familiar with the task of competing against a local rival - having experienced similar situations on numerous occasions throughout his playing and coaching career - and he insisted his side will do everything to earn the desired result for the supporters at Kenilworth Road.

With eight games of the season left Wilder acknowledged the need to spearhead a winning run and ultimately bridge the five-point gap up to the play-off places, and with a two-week international break now complete he is ready to kick on.

“I think we’re all looking forward to it,” he said. “It’s a big game, and we can’t play it down. We know it’s going to be a tough afternoon, but it’s one we’re excited about because it’s important for where we are with the stage of the season, because it’s a local derby, and because of our need for the three points.

“I know about derbies - I’ve played in plenty and I’ve been involved in lots as a manager as well. I can’t play it down at all because I understand how much it means to the fans and to the club. It’s only good for the winning team on the day, and we’ll be doing everything we can to make sure that’s us on Saturday.

“We have to be together as a group on Saturday - as players, staff and fans. I’m sure the fans will act in the right way, and then it’s all about the football. Hopefully everything can go smoothly, and we can have a great day together.

“It was a good result for Watford in the reverse fixture, but I don’t think you get any advantage from that now, either way you look at it. It’s a fresh game with two different managers - when the ball rolls it’s game on, and it’s about who handles the occasion the best on the day.

“We’ve put a lot of work into the players who have been with us during the break and we’re happy with where we’re at. We’ve kept the boys at a good level, and hopefully that will allow them all to produce their best performances and get the right result.”

With those who were away on international duty having returned to the London Colney training ground, Wilder was pleased to report that no new injury concerns have emerged ahead of the short journey up the M1.

He said: “Everybody’s come back fit and healthy, which is great. Injuries are always the fear for a manager, particularly when so many players are away with their countries. A couple of them have had long journeys, but we feel we’re in good nick in terms of health and fitness, and we’ve got a good group to choose from.

“Ismaïla Sarr has been training with us over the last few days as well, so he’ll be in contention to be part of the group.

“In some areas of the pitch we’re going to have to make decisions on who plays, but I want to have to make those decisions because we’ve got to have that competitive aspect. I want everyone to be knocking on the door, and I want everyone to want to be playing in games like this.”

Besides the furore surrounding the match, Wilder made it clear that he is fully aware of Luton’s footballing ability, with the Hatters currently sitting in fourth place - just six points behind Sheffield United in the second of two automatic promotion spots.

And though he admitted the Golden Boys can barely afford any slip-ups between now and the end of the 2022/23 campaign if they are to achieve their aim of a top-six finish, the former Blades boss stressed that he is simply taking each game as it comes.

He added: “They’ve done fantastically well to get to where they are, and I understand their journey because it’s somewhat similar to mine. I’ve played at Kenilworth Road, I’ve managed there and I know people involved there, so I know what it’s going to take tomorrow.

“We all know we have to win the individual battles, duels, headers, tackles and races, and they’ll be looking at doing the same. Our players know what’s coming, and it’s up to us to handle everything that comes better than they do.

“With where we are in the table we understand we haven’t done enough so far. There’s not really any leeway for failure now on in, but what I know from experience is what a big performance and result can do for a team at this stage of the season. We’re playing catch-up but we can still make the play-offs, but as always my focus is solely on each game as it comes. If we can kickstart a successful run, things will take care of themselves.”