Watford boss Javi Gracia: We are a good squad and are competing well

Javi Gracia will not be drawn on where he thinks Watford will finish this season – but insists even dropping to 15th place would not change his mind about the quality of his squad.

The Hornets travel to face Premier League leaders Liverpool on Wednesday night and currently sit seventh in the table after thrashing Cardiff 5-1 on Friday.

With a 10-point gap to the so-called ‘big six’, Watford currently lead the way for the title of best of the rest – locked on 40 points with Wolves and with West Ham four points further back.

Watford have never finished in the top-half of the Premier League and seventh would represent their best top-flight season since 1983.

But Gracia is more concerned with building a strong and stable squad at Vicarage Road than where the team ultimately finishes at the end of the current campaign.

“At the end we’ll see what we are able to achieve, but I’m sure our supporters are enjoying this and that they are proud of these players,” he said.

“At the end we will see. One position doesn’t change my feeling about this squad. We are a good squad and are competing well.

“We could finish sixth, seventh, eighth or 15th. I just want to be happy with ourselves, to enjoy every day.

“We’ll look at the end of the season, but we are in the right way and feeling we are doing a good job.”

Watford travel to Anfield having lost their last two league meetings there by an aggregate score of 11-1.

Mohamed Salah was in fine form last season, hitting four of the five goals racked up by Jurgen Klopp’s side.

A 0-0 draw at Manchester United on Sunday was enough to take Liverpool back to the top of the table but they have a Merseyside derby and a Champions League clash with Bayern Munich on the horizon.

Klopp may therefore make some changes for the Watford game, Salah in particular tired against United and was substituted – but Gracia knows whoever turns out for Liverpool will make it a tough night for the Hornets.

“Now they are going to play different games in the Champions League and Premier League and I am sure they are going to change some players or try to find a balance in changing some players,” he added.

“In any case they are a very good team, they can change their shape, they can play different ways. Sometimes this season they have changed their shape but most importantly it is the quality of their players.

“They have a very good squad, very good players and we have to be ready to play against one of the candidates playing for the title and I’m sure it will be a very tough game.”