Boothroyd saw a seemingly legitimate Danny Shittu headed goal ruled out after just four minutes of the 2-0 defeat at Vicarage Road on Sunday, before captain John Eustace was sent-off by referee Kevin Friend in the second half following an altercation with Ian Ashbee.

Eustace will play at the KC Stadium after a successful appeal to the Football Association, meaning that of the six red cards shown to Watford players this season three have subsequently been rescinded, and Boothroyd believes that his players' reputations have cost them.

He said: "John Eustace is a tough-tackling, whole-hearted player and referees look for it. Where your attention goes, your energy flows and John Eustace has been a victim of that.

"His red card against Stoke last month was not a sending-off, I've seen a lot worse tackles than that. It was a booking, maybe, but because he's John Eustace it's a red.

"And because Darius Henderson has a reputation as a big bruiser he gets the same treatment from referees. If you were to see him after a game, the amount of scars and cuts he has to put up with, it's incredible.

"But I don't want to get my violin out for him because he gives as good as he gets. It's a man's game, you have to be physical and that is part of what we do.

"But there is a balance to be had and I don't think that we find it in our favour very often."

A run of just one win in 15 games has hampered Watford's promotion bid this season but Boothroyd believes an early goal tonight would heap the pressure on Phil Brown's side.

He said: "We know we've got it all to do but it is not impossible.

"We've been 2-0 down at half-time of games before and come back to win and we are going up there with the best away record in the league and will try to get a result.

"A goal for us would put the pressure on them and that is what we need to do.

"We need to make sure that we keep a clean sheet which is easier said than done, but we made enough chances to score on Sunday and if it wasn't for some wonderful goalkeeping we could be level or even ahead."