IN-FORM Ricardo Gardner is relishing his personal battle with ex-Reebok star Neil Cox on Sunday.

The jet-heeled Jamaican is determined to put his former team-mate on the back foot with an exciting display of attacking wing play.

Second-placed Watford's visit is a crunch clash in the chase for an automatic promotion place and the Gardner-Cox head-to-head is an intriguing and potentially decisive factor.

Both players are at the top of their game and both will be setting their sights on making their attack-minded opponent defend in a game which will see Wanderers go level with Watford with a victory.

It will be the first return to the Reebok for right back Cox since he left to join the Hornets' Premiership campaign last season and all eyes are likely to be focused on his personal duel with Gardner.

The former Wanderers' favourite can expect one of his toughest challenges of the season against a player who has gone from strength to strength in the nine games he has played since returning from serious knee ligament damage he sufferend last February.

"He is a very good player both offensively and defensively and he has has improved over the last year," is the respectful verdict of Gardner on Cox who he played alongside for two years at the Reebok.

"He is alway very difficult to play against. He likes to go forward, get crosses and shots in and score goals but I will be trying to make him defend."

Revealing his personal game plan, he expanded: "I will be trying to attack as often as I can on Sunday. I want to get the ball forward, put lots of balls into the box and get in a few shots."

His manager has been astonished by Gardner's contribution since his earlier than expected return from such a serious knee injury and he sees him as a key player on Sunday.

"Ricardo's form is very good," enthused Sam Allardyce. "He is a match for any full back in this division and we must make sure we get enough supply to his area - and to the right side as well - and put pressure on the full backs."

On Gardner's Sunday rival, he added: "Most of Neil Cox's career has been spent in the Premiership which says it all."

Wanderers' wonder winger believes his side can take heart from the impressive performance they produced in the reverse fixture at Watford six weeks ago when they were unlucky to go down 1-0 to a contentious last minute penalty.

"They are playing well and are a very hard working team but we have nothing to fear," he insisted. "We just need to stick to what the coaches plan and we should be okay.

"It is a vital game because we want to get back up there and give them some competition for one of the automatic promotion places."

While Gardner is relishing his return to the big stage, he believes there is more improvement to come as he continues to work towards full fitness.

"I am happy with my form, especially as I am back playing sooner than expected," he added.

"I have done a lot of work and I am getting stronger and stronger.

"I am fit enough now to be able to manage the full 90 minutes. The past few games I have played the full 90 minutes and still had a lot left in me. Now I just want to get better and better."