Last season, slow starts were so common they were almost an expected part of the matchday experience.

When Tom Cleverley took over, it was an area he worked hard to correct and it seemed those days were behind the Hornets.

However, both Derby and Sheffield United breached the Watford defence inside a couple of minutes in the last two league games.

It was something which, after the match at Bramall Lane, the Watford boss said he and his staff would be working on during the international break.

“Yeah we have, and we’ve addressed it quite clearly, especially the Sheffield United game,” Cleverley confirmed.

“I expect to see a reaction.

“You could possibly say it was a mindset issue for the Sheffield game, but for me it’s something that is quite an easy fix and I expect to see that on Saturday.”

That first defeat, almost a fortnight ago, was disappointing but far from as grim or worrying as many of the losses last season.

“We weren’t anywhere near our best that day, and it was their best performance of the season,” said Cleverley.

“Yet we still managed to push them all the way.

“I think we know where we went wrong, and it’s my job to put that right.

“I think we can take a small positive from that game because we were average by our standards, and were playing a relegated team who were close to their best and it was still a tight affair.

“The character of the players pleased me.

“We conceded at a terrible time and in seasons gone by things could have got a lot worse.

“But the players are fighting for me, and I can see that.”

Back at home tomorrow, Watford will be looking to build on what has been, overall, a very positive start to the season.

Nonetheless, Cleverley said there was some way to go before the club could consider the issues that have dogged it for the last few seasons are truly out of the system.

“I don’t think we can count our chickens just yet. It’s four league games,” he said.

“It is a good start but we really cannot get complacent. You have to do hard work on a daily basis to make sure that we keep the team spirit, the healthy environment and the strong performances.

“That’s not judged over the first four league games, it’s judged over six or seven months.

“We have to continue what we’ve been doing, and that goes for me as an individual.

“I’m only 15 games into a coaching career so I can’t say I’m established at all.

“If after six or seven months we’re still in a good moment and we’re resilient to setbacks then we can judge.

“I think we followed both of my defeats at the end of last season with a positive performance, and that’s what I’ll expect again.”