Miguel Britos is relishing the prospect of going up against former Hornets target Rudy Gestede when Watford face Aston Villa on Saturday.

The Benin international was a target for the Hornets over the summer but eventually joined Villa for £6 million from Blackburn Rovers after netting 20 league goals in the Championship last term.

Gestede has scored four times in 15 outings for bottom-of-the-league Villa this season and secured his new club’s only Premier League win to date, at Bournemouth on the opening day of the season, with a debut goal.

The 6ft 4in striker, who first moved to England with Cardiff City in 2011, is known for his aerial ability and physical strength and scored twice against the Golden Boys whilst a Rovers player.

But Watford defender Britos, the man likely to be assigned man-marking duties should Gestede play at Villa Park, insists he is looking forward to facing the hulking forward.

“Small and quick is difficult for me,” he explained yesterday, citing Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy as an example of tough opponent. “I’m taller and a little bit slow. Small and quick players are difficult.

“Gestede is a good player,” he said when asked about the Villa forward. “But I think we can win.

“We need to win these next three matches (Villa, Norwich City and Sunderland). We need nine points because in December they are difficult games: Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.”

“If we win this game we can go into December feeling more positive.”

Earlier in the day head coach Quique Sanchez Flores was asked whether the club had discussed the possibility of signing Gestede after he was appointed.

“Yes, Mr Pozzo asked me about him and we talked about him,” replied the Spaniard. “He’s a good player, a young player but a very good player.

“His style is completely different to how we are playing.”