Will Hughes claims Watford's recent performances have increased their confidence as they look to clinch automatic promotion to the Premier League.

The Hornets sit in a strong position, in second place, six points clear of third, after an impressive run of form that has seen them pick up nine wins from their last ten games.

The midfielder claims that each of those wins has contributed to growing positivity around the club, as they look to avoid the drama of the playoffs.

Speaking to TalkSport, the 25-year-old said that the season got off to a difficult start, but that now Watford are starting to live up to expectations.

"Obviously we were one of the favourites to go straight back up and it hasn't been as straightforward, especially at the start of the season," said Hughes.

"It's a different kind of pressure to the Premier League, you're expected to win every single game. I think the more the season's gone on, we've grown into that and we've played really well recently, and with that comes confidence and it allows you to express yourself on the pitch, which we're seeing now."

Despite their strong position in the table, Hughes insists the Hornets are taking nothing for granted and says that, from their own experiences, they know just how quickly things can change in the Championship.

"There's been times this season where we've been lagging behind in the table, quite a few points off the automatic spot," he said. "But you can see now, things change very quickly in this league, so we have to be prepared for that.

"There's still eight games to go to, the teams behind us have got games in hand, so we have to focus on ourselves and get the job done, it's in our hands now, that's the most important thing."