After yesterday’s win at Millwall, Tom Cleverley spoke again of a top-ten finish as being a realistic target – but added Watford could aim even higher “if we are good in the last three weeks of the transfer window”.

While many pundits have the Hornets down for a season of struggle, or even relegation fodder, the Hornets head coach has steadfastly stuck to his belief that the season can offer much, much more.

And while he knows one swallow doesn’t make a summer, there was enough evidence in the victory at The Den to support the theory that Watford should be looking up, and not down.

However, he caveated his belief that the Hornets could even go further than just the top 10 by stressing it will need further additions to his squad in order for that to be possible.

“I think, first of all, we absolutely have to outperform what we did last season, and I think with what we’ve got in the building we should be looking to finish in the top 10,” he said.

“If we are good in the last three weeks of the transfer window I believe those expectations and ambitions can increase a little bit.

“But right now it’s a matter of working hard on the training field, not celebrating these wins because I want them to become the norm.

“I want us to be as ambitious as we can, but take each game as it comes.”

And when asked what 'good in the remainder of the transfer window' looks like, Cleverley said: “I expect two or three players to come in, particularly a defender and an attacker which are both close.”

When he was given the job permanently near the end of last season, Cleverley wanted to get points on the board and deliver performances and results that sent people away feeling positive over the summer.

Once the season was over, he turned his attention to creating a winning environment in the dressing room, at the training ground and through the club as a whole

“You can’t create that winning environment overnight, but games like this help a lot,” he said.

“It’s especially the case when you get a big character check at 2-2.

“But a winning environment is where I grew up as an academy player, and the first three or four years of my senior career was the same.

“When you’re expected to win and you demand that you win sometimes that can be a mindset that can win you games on its own.

“So that’s what I am trying to create. It’s going to take a lot of time and a bit more recruitment, but this win is a good start.”