No room for sentiment when Burnley striker Matej Vydra faces old club Watford at Vicarage Road

The 29-year-old had two loan spells at Watford whilst on Udinese's books before making his switch from Serie A permanent in 2015.

The Hornets handed the Czech Republic forward his first start as a professional, just weeks after the club's new owners, the Pozzo family, had parted company with Sean Dyche.

Vydra was joined by ex-Burnley goal-scorer Chris Iwelumo in extra-time of a League Cup tie at home to Wycombe Wanderers and, after a goalless 90 minutes, it was the Scot that netted the winner.

He went on to play 95 times for Watford, scoring 38 goals, and collected the 2013 Football League Championship Player of the Year accolade while earning selection in the PFA Team of the Year.

Vydra, however, will park those memories to one side as soon as the whistle blows on Saturday. "It's going to be special for me," he said. "I had some special years there.

"But we're both fighting against relegation so the past will have to be put to the side and I'll focus on victory. Maybe I'll speak with friends over there, but the game comes first. My thoughts will be on winning the game and then we'll see."

The Clarets' match-winner, who scored the only goal of the game against Wolves just after the hour, says the squad has taken confidence from the last three Premier League performances.

Under 23s boss Mike Jackson has masterminded the revival since the departure of Dyche, collecting seven points from fixtures against West Ham (a), Southampton (h) and Bruno Lage's side (h).

That return saw the club climb out of the top flight's bottom three for the first time since October, at the expense of Everton, who lost out to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.

Victory over his former club would put daylight between Burnley and the Toffees, who host Chelsea at Goodison Park on Sunday. "I think the last three results have been important for us," he said.

"This division isn’t easy to win in. We get confidence from the last three results, seven points, and we're finally out of the bottom three. Everton have a game in hand, but it's a nice feeling. We've still got five more steps.

"There'll be pressure, but we'll see. Burnley know how to fight against relegation and maybe that'll be an advantage for us."