MASSIMO MACCARONE and Julio Arca are both pushing for starting places as Gareth Southgate looks for his team to bounce back in style at Watford after the disappointment of defeat at Eastlands.

Both players took part in the Reserves' 2-0 win over Bolton in midweek but Maccarone was withdrawn at half-time after his impressive cameo at City, while Arca was subbed after 72 minutes.

Asked whether Maccarone is pushing for his first start of the season, Southgate said: "Yes, he was very bright for us when he came on, he ran in behind the defence.

"It was important to keep him fit during week for the Reserves and he gives me an option up front. He's been frustrated up to now because he wants to prove he can play in this team."

Arca has also been left twiddling his thumbs for much of the campaign after breaking his foot on his Boro Premiership debut at Reading in August.

"It's been frustrating for him, he was very bright for us in pre-season but he got injured on the opening day and he's only really had two Reserve games since then," said the manager.

"But he's certainly in my thoughts for the weekend as well. He's a quality footballer and he's got an edge to him as well and is not afraid to dig in and fight. We need those sort of footballers and we need that sort of quality."

Southgate said his players didn't need telling they had themselves down badly on Monday - although that didn't stop him delivering his own verdict to them. And while he is refusing to signal the alarm bells, he does not expect a repeat of that display at Vicarage Road.

"I've got an honest group of players and I expect a reaction from them on Saturday," he stressed.

"We know what a let down Monday was and we want to put that right at Watford. We didn't start well enough, we didn't match Manchester City's desire to win the game and we didn't pass the ball.

"The players were as disappointed and down as anyone after the game and they're raring to put it right tomorrow."

Watford are winless so far this season, although they were denied three points by an incorrect offside flag against Spurs last week when Ashley Young had struck a perfectly good goal, and Tommy Smith was left ruing an incredible point-blank miss.

But they are also unbeaten in seven of their last eight games and Southgate knows his men could hardly face a stiffer test of character.

"They're a very direct team, they're highly motivated and enjoying the experience of being in the league and they have a manager who's driving them forward," he said.

"Our players are under no illusions as to what to expect. There's lot of goalmouth action because they get the ball forward very quickly.

"We have to match the physical side and out-battle them and then play ourselves. We've got players who can win matches for us and we've got to go there and be positive.

"The lads know it was a missed opportunity the other night. A win would have put us ninth, we lost and ended up 15th.

"There's nothing between sides and teams who people would consider have had an excellent start, like Reading, Fulham and Villa. They are suddenly within touching distance of us.

"If we're going to get ourselves up the table we have to win away as well as at home and there's no better time to do that than Saturday."

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