Quique Sanchez Flores confident Troy Deeney will rediscover scoring touch

Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores has backed Troy Deeney to open his Premier League goal account soon.

Hornets skipper Deeney hit 77 Championship goals in five years at Vicarage Road and last term became the first Watford player to score 20 or more in three consecutive seasons.

The 27-year-old striker turned down the chance to join Premier League clubs in the past and has instead finally reached the top flight with the Hornets.

But he has yet to find the net in their opening two matches and at times cut a frustrated figure during Saturday’s goalless draw at home to West Brom.

And Flores admitted: “Troy is involved but it was difficult (for the other players) to get connected with him.

“I have no doubts about Troy and I would not be surprised if he scored in the next game.”

While Deeney may have toiled, he and his team-mates did bring at least the occasional save out of visiting keeper Boaz Myhill.

Albion, by contrast, did not register a single shot on target – although Saido Berahino missed the chance of the match with a wayward header 10 minutes from time.

Manager Tony Pulis had by then thrown on £12m record signing Salomon Rondon, who immediately showed his potential with a powerful run towards goal only to lash his shot high and wide.

Pulis is confident the Venezuelan striker will quickly adapt to the Premier League and said: “It’s about fitness more than anything.

“I thought he was very bright when he came on. When Rondon and James McClean came on we had a different threat to us – we had better legs up top.

“We could stretch the game ourselves and I thought the two of them helped us to get on the front foot.”

Albion’s defensive tactics drew criticism from some of the away support but centre-half Jonas Olsson was unrepentant.

“We defended well, we stuck to our game plan.

It’s just facts, if you keep clean sheets you get points,” he said.

WATFORD:

Gomes, Nyom, Prödl, Cathcart, Anya, Capoue, Behrami, Layun (Abdi 55), Ighalo, Jurado (Berghuis 84), Deeney

WBA:

Myhill, Dawson, McAuley, Olsson, Brunt, Morrison, Fletcher, Yacob, Gardner (Rondón, 62), Lambert (McClean 69), Berahino (McManaman 90)

Referee:

Paul Tierney