Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp admits Barclays Premier League survival is his priority ahead of Wednesday night's Carling Cup quarter-final at Watford.
Spurs are defending the trophy they won in February but Redknapp's aim is to lift them from 16th in the table following defeat to Everton at the weekend.
"It will be a tough game but league points are all-important to us I think," Redknapp said. "I said it all along - it's the league position that is vital."]
He added: "The long-term and most important thing at the club is the Premier League, it's got to be. That is the most important thing by far."
While rivals Arsenal had a host of youngsters on display in their reverse at Burnley on Tuesday, Redknapp has limited options compared to Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.
"No disrespect, they have a group of youngsters that are good enough to play," Redknapp said. "They have 19 to 20-year-old kids and so many of them are fantastic that they can play them. How many teams can afford to do that?"
Redknapp will face brother-in-law Frank Lampard Snr, Watford's new football consultant, for the first time in his career.
The pair barely trained on opposite teams when they played together at West Ham and Lampard was Redknapp's assistant at Upton Park before the partnership was broken in 2001.
"I was with him at West Ham for seven years but I wasn`t a normal assistant manager to him - we are family," Lampard said.
"We've always been on an even keel and talk about football in a natural way so I am looking forward to the game."
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