Team news

Mackay seeks survival boost Watford boss Malky Mackay has no major concerns as his struggling side host relegation rivals Crystal Palace.

Arsenal loanee Henri Lansbury returned to play 90 minutes in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough after a hip injury had ruled him out of the previous two games.

Lansbury looks certain to feature again and the Hornets have no other suspension or injury worries.

However, they have won only of their last nine games and are hovering nervously just four points above third-bottom Palace.

Mackay said: "Crystal Palace is a big game but no bigger than the seven or so after that, so we have to make sure that on Tuesday night we put in the same performance as we did on Saturday." Palace pair Matt Lawrence and Claude Davis return to contention.

Lawrence served a one-game ban for his red card against Nottingham Forest last week and Davis returns to boost manager Paul Hart's back line after sitting out three matches following his dismissal for violent conduct in the recent home defeat to Leicester.

A further boost for Hart is the successful return of Paddy McCarthy, who came through the 90 minutes against Cardiff unscathed on Saturday after returning from a long-term shoulder injury.

Hart, whose side lie third bottom and four points behind Watford in the table, has no other new injury or suspension problems and is not expected to make too many changes as his side chase their first league win in seven attempts.

Watford 1-3 Crystal Palace

Last modified 15:11 20/04/10

Eagles soar to Watford win Crystal Palace rounded off a day that saw their survival hopes on and off the pitch given a huge shot in the arm by defeating fellow Coca-Cola Championship strugglers Watford at Vicarage Road.

Good news for the Eagles has been as scarce as a Stern John goal during a turbulent season in south London.

But both came along at once with the club's administrators announcing they had finally found a potential buyer before Trinidad striker John grabbed his first Eagles goal since joining some eight months ago to help sink the Hornets.

Sean Scannell and Neil Danns chipped in after the break as Palace edged to within a point of their opponents, who pulled one back through Danny Graham but are sitting nervously just one place above the drop zone.

Watford could count themselves hard done by, however, despite the scoreline.

They hit the woodwork three times, found Eagles goalkeeper Julian Speroni and defender Paddy McCarthy in inspired form and referee Paul Taylor in a forgiving mood until he sent off Palace defender Lee Hills late on.

Boss Malky Mackay felt they should have had an early penalty when Will Buckley's cross struck McCarthy's arm, but ref Taylor was unmoved.

Watford were denied a 15th-minute opener when Speroni superbly kept out Martin Taylor's point-blank header, and they came even closer when Tom Cleverley's 20-yard drive crashed against the crossbar.

But against the run of play Palace took the lead on the half-hour when Johnny Ertl's cross found its way to the far post where John, who was farmed out on loan to Ipswich earlier this term, was unmarked and headed past Scott Loach.

Watford went straight back on the attack but were frustrated again when a diving header by Henri Lansbury from Cleverley's corner somehow stayed out courtesy of the inside of the far post.

And shortly after the interval the visitors went two up. Scannell's initial header, from Darren Ambrose's cross, came back off the post but the rebound fell kindly for Palace as the young winger picked himself off the floor and sidefooted the ball past Loach.

Watford attempted to hit back again but Heidar Helguson put a lob over the top and fired another effort wide, before Danns hit the third with 25 minutes to go.

Loach could only parry Scannell's shot straight into the air and Danns was on hand to rifle the loose ball into an empty net.

Amazingly, Cleverley hit the post again with a 20-yard curler before Hornets substitute Graham finally found the net for their consolation.