Craig Cathcart is confident he and his Watford team-mates can fan the flames on Jermain Defoe's hot streak this season when Sunderland visit Vicarage Road on Saturday.

Defoe was back among the goals for England in his first cap for two years on Sunday as the Three Lions saw off Lithuania at Wembley, and has been in blistering form for the Black Cats, scoring 14 of their 24 Premier League goals.

Cathcart is well aware of the veteran striker's abilities, having faced him three times with Watford and Blackpool.

"It’s always a big challenge when you come up against Jermain,” he told the Daily Star.

“I’ve faced him a few times and he is a quality player. He is deadly in the box so you can’t afford to give him chances as he is such a good finisher.

“Watching him lately, he seems to have got better with age.

“He’s been in fine form this season but hopefully on Saturday when Sunderland come to our place we can stop his goals and stop his threat.”

Sunderland's need for points is becoming more pressing with a seven-point gap separating them from safety with 10 games to go, but Watford are still a few points from securing their Premier League status following three defeats from four.

And Cathcart is in no doubt that the Hornets will need to be better than in their 1-0 reverse at Crystal Palace 10 days ago.

He said: “We want to be beating the teams below us and on Saturday we are at home so we’ll be out to impose ourselves and get the three points.

"People will say it’s a crucial game for Sunderland, but it’s a big game for us as well. We are not safe until we reach that 40 point mark and we have big games coming up starting against Sunderland on Saturday.

“If we can come through that one with a positive result then hopefully we can kick on for the remainder of the season and get safe as quick as possible."