In a week where Watford have captured a highly-rated Portuguese striker, their recently signed Portuguese defender is set to make his full debut against Rotherham tomorrow.

With the news that Jeremy Ngakia is sidelined with, you guessed it, a hamstring injury, Joao Ferreira is poised to be in the starting XI at Vicarage Road, a week after his first appearance as a half-time substitute against Blackpool.

“Ferreira will probably start tomorrow because Ngakia has injured his hamstring in training this week,” said head coach Slaven Bilic.

“He is going to have a scan today. I spoke with him and he doesn’t think it is as bad as last time. So hopefully that only means a couple of weeks. But for us it never seems to be a couple of weeks!”

Ferreira’s debut was somewhat overlooked last week as, understandably, Tobi Adeyemo’s goal grabbed the headlines.

“I thought Joao’s performance last week, for a first game, was okay. He looked fit and quick,” said Bilic.

“He came on and helped the team turn a 0-0 into a 2-0 win. That’s always a positive.”

Leandro Bacuna comes back into the squad tomorrow. The midfielder suffered a hamstring injury in the FA Cup game at Reading but trained with the first team today and should be involved against Rotherham.

As feared, the game will come too soon for Keinan Davis. The forward is one of many who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, but he was on course to be back tomorrow.

However, he missed a number of days training last week due to illness and that put his rehabilitation back.

Hasane Kamara returns to the squad after serving his four-match suspension, leaving Bilic with a selection problem as young full-back James Morris has more than acquitted himself in recent weeks.

“Those situations and decisions are where you want to be. No matter what level you manage at, those kinds of issues are good ones to have,” said Bilic.

“When a manager has headaches over team selection in that way, then usually the team is successful.

“For me, I want to be in a situation where I am having to choose between players in every position on the pitch.”

Hamza Choudhury made an impressive return to the team last Saturday against Blackpool, and Bilic is hopefully the midfielder will be able to play the full 90 tomorrow.

“He is our anchor. He has a presence on the pitch and we have missed him a lot. I think that’s one of the reasons we had a little dip,” he said.

“We didn’t want to use him for the full 90 minutes last week but hopefully he can complete a full game this weekend.

“It was important that he came back and it’s important that he lasts. That is the key: although we can train and manage the players, they have to try and be available to us.”

Even with players starting to return, it’s still likely there will be an Academy presence in tomorrow’s matchday squad.

“I love having the young players involved, but like in every situation you have to have a balance,” said Bilic.

“For young players to be successful they need a few older cornerstones on the pitch that they can rely on when things are not going well.

“But the young lads that have come in have made a difference.”