The need to have four wing-backs who can meet the demands of the system Watford seek to play led Tom Cleverley to bring Festy Ebosele in on loan for the rest of the season.

With so much emphasis on using the flanks to attack and break forward, whoever plays in that position has to be able to both get deep into the final third and also track back to do the defensive work.

That means covering a lot of ground, over and over again, often at top speed, something Cleverley knows Ebosele does very well.

“Festy fits in perfectly with the way we want to play,” the Watford head coach said.

“Unfortunately Jeremy Ngakia hasn’t had the greatest injury record in the last 12 to 18 months, and in this system you need to have four wing-backs because it is a very demanding position.

“So we need four wing-backs we can rely on, and that’s why Festy has come in.

“We’re having really good productivity through our wing-backs, especially going forward, and with his explosive power and being able to dominate one v one, I think he is a real perfect addition.

“It’s competition for Ryan, and it’s up to Festy, Ryan, Ken and Yasser to make a shirt their own.

“If you include the cups, we could play the best part of 50 or 55 games this season, and to do that playing wing-backs you need four.

“Every successful team or squad playing wing-backs has four top ones that they can rely on.

“With the emergence of James Morris as the outside centre back, then Festy comes in as our fourth because unfortunately Jeremy’s injuries are just getting the better of him at the minute.”

While both Ebosele and striker Daniel Jebbison came in during yesterday’s transfer deadline day, Watford couldn’t wrap up a deal for a midfielder they had targeted.

“It came fairly close to happening,” reflected Cleverley.

“It was something where we were always of the agreement that we have our one target, and the club has liked the same player in the last two transfer windows.

“We weren’t going to sign someone who would have been a quick fix and that probably wasn’t as good.

“Like all deals, some come off and some don’t.

“It was close without being within touching distance, but it wasn’t a case of if that one didn’t come off we were going to rush into something else that probably wasn’t as good an option.

“The encouraging news with Imran’s injury is that it’s certainly going to be weeks he is out, rather than creeping into the months – so that is positive.

“At the minute, we have Moussa and Tom, and I see Edo as a further option. We have also brought Pierre in, so with Imran not as serious as we first thought, then we’re still in good shape.”