Slaven Bilic revealed after the 2-0 win over Reading that he met with Joao Pedro earlier in the day and urged him to get into the box more.

That pep talk clearly paid off as Pedro was in the right place to hammer home Watford’s second goal after he had won and then scored the penalty that gave the Hornets the lead.

“We had a meeting today and I told him that everything he does is top,” said Bilic.

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“I told him ‘I can’t call you a top player, you’re only 21, but you are a top talent’.

“All I asked was get in the box: get in the box, get in the box, get in the box. Don’t be slow to get in the box, get in there sharp.

“That’s how he scored the second goal, because he was there.”

The Watford head coach explained that he gave the Brazilian a second-half breather against Coventry as he had played so many games in such a short space of time after having been injured.

“The reason I took him off against Coventry was only because he only recently came back from injury, and he’s been playing every game,” said Bilic.

“I need him on the pitch for whole games, and even when he’s tired he’s still the man. Him and Sarr, you don’t change them.

“But I told him this afternoon just get in the box more often. I showed him clips from the Coventry game where he was in the box, and I also showed him clips where he got to the box but wasn’t sharp. And then we looked at a few times when he didn’t come to the box.

“He has to be in the box. It’s a habit. Getting in the box isn’t a quality, it’s a habit. I want him and Asprilla in the box. We want his great right foot and Asprilla’s great left foot in the box.

“Sarr is always in the box. His goal against Stoke, his goal against Swansea, the chance he had at Blackpool, the chance against Coventry on Saturday. He’s always in the box, with great timing and determination.

“That is what we need from some of our players because we are creating chances.”