Watford showed plenty of character but that wasn’t enough on the day as the Hornets went down 3-0 to Liverpool at Vicarage Road.
Javi Gracia’s men slipped to 9th in the Premier League standings after that defeat but the manager should have plenty of positives to take from that game against Liverpool.
Watford will be looking to get their campaign back on track when they make the trip to the King Power Stadium to face Leicester City on Saturday.
Leicester drew 1-1 against Brighton away from home last week and the Foxes will be in high spirits after progressing to the last eight of the Carabao Cup with a penalty shootout victory over Southampton on Tuesday night.
Javi Gracia has a few injuries to contend with for Saturday’s clash. Daryl Janmaat is back to training from his injury but is unlikely to feature on Saturday while Jose Holebas is struggling with a calf strain.
Tom Cleverly is a long-term absentee with a calf injury.
He made some good stops against Liverpool and has always been a reliable presence between the sticks.
The Spaniard put up a decent display against Liverpool and did reasonably well against a potent attacking force.
His aerial ability inside the box is an invaluable asset to the Hornets’ backline and he will have his work cut out against Jamie Vardy on Saturday.
Looked good with his positioning and awareness against Liverpool and Gracia should continue to rely on him in the heart of the defence.
He had a very good game against Liverpool last week, putting in some good tackles and allowed very little space for the opposition to exploit.
The Frenchman has been one of the standout figures for Watford in the midfield this season and he will need to step up his game against Leicester City.
He has been dictated terms brilliantly from a deep position in the midfield with his flawless passing and superior game-reading ability.
He showed some good touches against Liverpool and impressed with his link-up play.
His form seems to have dipped a bit in recent weeks and Watford will need him to rise to the occasion this weekend.
He is always a threat to the opposition with his physicality and ability to link-up with his teammates.
The former Barcelona man has been a key figure in Watford’s attack since making his comeback from injury and he will be expected to deliver the goods against Leicester.