Back in May, in the week after the final game of the season, Tom Cleverley told me he was very confident he would be bringing Moussa Sissoko back to Watford.

A teammate during the ill-fated 2021/22 relegation campaign, Sissoko’s performances that season were probably tarred with the brush of understandable disappointment by many fans who saw a team that offered very little in the way of resistance.

And when the Frenchman left to join Nantes, there were suggestions he had deserted a sinking ship.

However, many within the club felt Sissoko was the club’s best player that season, and the Frenchman’s decision to join Nantes was because they were the only club offering a fee and he wanted to give something back to Watford, as well as getting himself off the wage bill.

Slaven Bilic tried in vain to get Sissoko back in January 2023 and, when it was known those efforts were in place, other senior players like ex-defender Craig Cathcart – himself a captain – said privately that bringing him back would make a huge difference simply because both on and off the pitch, Sissoko is a great leader and example.

Cleverley spoke extremely highly of Sissoko back in May when he discussed his plans, and has done so again ever since he rejoined.

On Saturday, the Hornets captain gave a superb performance and even delivered the winning goal so, unsurprisingly, Cleverley was keen to sing his praises again.

“Moussa is pivotal to what we’re trying to do,” he said.

“He is our on-field organiser and his in-game intelligence and experience mean that he’s different class.

“When someone looks after their body as well as he has throughout their whole career, the ageing process is very, very slow.

“He was a huge addition for us this season and, like after the Brentford game, I’ll say we didn’t particularly bring him here to score goals.

“But against teams who sit low in the pitch you can afford one of your No.6s to sort of get on the end of stuff. He was brilliant.

“He’s a real figure. When you line up against him as an opposition player, he’s got a presence and an aura about him.

“The career he’s had, his posture, his physique, his professionalism – he is a winner.

“He’s ticking a lot of boxes for us.”

Sissoko’s goal came after Giorgi Chakvetadze’s shot had been blocked, and Watford are making a habit of tucking away those poacher’s goals.

“I don’t want to let our secrets out but I think that’s three or four rebounds we’ve scored from this season,” Cleverley said.

“We had a few at the back end of last season as well, and I think it shows we’re getting shots off and that we have numbers in the box.

“We are proactive to where the ball could fall and when you see patterns like that it’s really pleasing.

“I thought Moussa really deserved his goal.

“It’s not luck. He lands on every second ball, he lands on a rebound for the goal, he reads the game and anticipates where the ball is going to land.

“That is just football intelligence and experience.

“He brings us something – and I don’t want to disrespect the other players – that we missed in this squad.

“He is the perfect player for that role.”