Watford will hope Craig Pawson’s presence at the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday is a positive omen.

The South Yorkshire referee has taken charge of Watford just once before this term, but will be the man in the middle as the Hornets take on Huddersfield Town.

Watford secured a 3-0 FA Cup third round win over Bristol City in Pawson’s only other outing in one of their games this season, a game which proved to be Marco Silva’s last win in charge of the Vicarage Road club.

Pawson comes into the game having taken charge of 29 games this season showing 100 yellow cards and has also brandished the red on four occasions.

He had a lively start to the campaign as he sent off two players and showed seven yellow cards in Burnley’s 3-2 defeat of champions Chelsea.

Last season saw Pawson oversee two Watford games as they claimed a 1-1 draw with West Ham, a match in which Michail Antonio was sent off, and were beaten 1-0 by Liverpool.