Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores does not believe a victory against Everton in the Carabao Cup would have a big effect on their league form.
The Hornets are the only team in the Football League without a league win this season, but have reached the last 16 in the cup after seeing off Coventry and Swansea.
Another win on Tuesday would move last season’s FA Cup runners-up a step closer to another Wembley final, but Flores does not believe that will provide a boost for Watford in their battle for Premier League survival.
He said: “What we want is a win. To win is always important, but what we realise is when we won in Swansea, it didn’t affect what happened in the league because we didn’t win the next one.
“It’s different competitions, different line-ups, different goals. So to win tomorrow is important again but it’s nothing concerned about what is happening in the league. It is a completely different scenario.”
Watford have kept clean sheets in two of their last three matches – all which have ended in draws – but they remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table.
Flores added: “We need to get in the right direction, and the right direction is slow, it should be slow, this is the only thing I know.
“If we lose the patience and we try to rush too much, we are not ready to rush too much, so the way will be slow, will be difficult.
“But experience says we need to be harder and we need to work really for a long time if we want to change this situation.”
At the weekend, VAR was a major talking point in a number of Premier League games, but Flores believes the technology – which will be used at Goodison Park on Tuesday – is working.
“The tool is good and what they are using, the type of material, is good for football because it looks fair, you can see very clear what happens,” he said.
“But finally it is an interpretation, it’s not some robot saying it’s A or B – it’s people saying what they see.
“Sometimes (it) looks confused but I think normally it is fair.”
Flores added the club were still unsure of the extent to Tom Cleverley’s injury after the midfielder was forced off during his side’s goalless draw at home to Bournemouth on Saturday and still needs to be assessed.
