Mazzarri Relishing Chance To Go Head To Head With Jose Mourinho

Watford boss Walter Mazzarri is looking forward to locking horns with old rival Jose Mourinho when his side faces Manchester United on Saturday.

Mourinho and Mazzarri enjoyed a running feud while managing in Serie A, where the Manchester United boss helped guide Inter Milan team back to the top of Italian and European football.

But Mazzarri, who managed Sampdoria and Napoli during Mourinho's spell in Italy, says the two now enjoy a mutual respect and he is looking forward to taking on the Portuguese for the second time since his arrival in England

The Italian claimed bragging rights back in September when late goals from Juan Zuniga and captain Troy Deeney led them to a 3-1 victory at Vicarage Road, but he expects United to be a tougher prospect now they have had time to gel as a team.

"I said it after that game that a great manager like Mourinho would do well in the end with United, and he's showing it now. The season is very long and it can vary and change," Mazzarri said.

"He was a complete gentleman [after United's defeat to Watford]. I saw him after the game, we joked about some things. I was the same towards him. We have mutual respect and we try to do the best with the teams we've got. Nothing has changed in our relationship.

"If they lost only three games until now, and one of them is us, it gives a great value to our victory."

Since the September victory Watford have proved inconsistent at best, but they are showing signs their poor six-week run from the end of November has been consigned to history.

Battling draws with Middlesbrough and Bournemouth have been followed by back-to-back wins over Arsenal and Burnley, and they sit 10th in the table with 14 games remaining in the season.

Mazzarri added: "Confidence in football is important. These two wins were important for the confidence but for us to be a great team and make the next step we need continuity.

"In the last two games we played well in the first half, but bad in the second. We need to change this. We have to do it for the whole 90 minutes.

"We are playing away in a great stadium, Old Trafford, United - along with Chelsea - have lost the least games this season. On the last game we've seen a team that is in great condition. We have to be ready for who we are playing against."

Credit: Skysports.com