Brendan Rodgers insists he took no extra pleasure from beating his former club last night and paid tribute to Watford boss Malky Mackay after Swansea City’s 3-2 win.

Rodgers became a hate figure when he left the Hornets last year and yesterday was the first time he returned to Vicarage Road as an opposing manager.

But after seeing his Swansea side hold on for the win, Rodgers claimed: “It wasn’t anymore special winning here against Watford because I have a big affinity with the club and always will do.”

“But there is no doubt it is a great win against a very good side,” Rodgers continued.

“Malky has done a great job here on very limited resources and along with John Stephenson, head of recruitment, and chief executive Julian Winter are working tirelessly to put Watford back in the top ten of the Championship and so far this season they have been great.

“Many teams would have buckled tonight but we showed a resilience which is important and I know the qualities we have going the other way.”

Swansea were comfortable at 3-0 through goals by Scott Sinclair, Stephen Dobbie and Frank Nouble but after missing chances to increase their lead, Watford almost grabbed a late equaliser in the fifth minute of injury time.

Rodgers described the side Mackay is building as “fantastic” and claimed Danny Graham is one of the top three strikers in the Championship.

He said: “They have good players and Malky has set them up really well in a good shape. They have two outstanding front players and Danny Graham is certainly one of the top three strikers in this league.

“John Eustace does a great job in midfield and the two guys on the sides, Will Buckley and Don Cowie, do very well and obviously they have an England international goalkeeper who is an outstanding talent and Adrian Mariappa and Lloyd Doyley who are great professionals.

“They are going to win more games than they lose and that is why they are in that [fourth] position.”