Walter Mazzarri has bemoaned Watford's ever-growing injury list, worrying that he will "not have a defence" when they visit Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
Younes Kaboul suffered a hamstring injury in the 1-0 win over Sunderland and Sebastian Prodl is recovering from a rib injury, while Miguel Britos is suspended.
Mazzarri told reporters on Thursday: "It's our destiny. Against Tottenham, we are always in an emergency. Britos was important because Kaboul and Prodl were injured and we do not have a defence now.
"We had one of the best games since I have been here on Tuesday (in the 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion), where the players played the way I like and I would have liked to have been able to play against Tottenham with a full team.
"But I told my players this morning that whoever is going to play Saturday has the chance to show that they deserve to have been playing in the past as well."
Despite their injury worries, the Hornets sit 10th in the Premier League table, while defender Christian Kabasele has returned to full training after two months out with a hip problem.