With 15 Premier League games gone, the days when a visit to Turf Moor being a tough assignment coming as a surprise are long gone.

Sean Dyche’s side have become a well-drilled, hard to beat outfit fully deserving of their seventh-place berth in England’s top tier.

Watford boss Marco Silva, who has guided the Hornets to a place below Burnley, understands the challenge poised by coming up against the Clarets.

“They are doing very well and started the season very well. Everyone knows it is difficult to play against them,” Silva explained.

“They are a team that is challenging in the match in every moment. We must play in a very good level to take a good result.

“We must not only play well, but we need to compete really well to take a good result.

“Sean Dyche has done very well. They’ve started well, are doing well and normally games against Burnley are tough.

“They don’t concede lots or score lots, they’re very balanced. The difference between wins and defeats are small.”

The Hornets will arrive at Turf Moor fully in the knowledge that they have impressed on the road this term, and 13 of their 22 points have come away from Vicarage Road.

They have also scored at will on the road, finding the net at least twice in all of their away matches this season.

Silva has stayed committed to an attacking style of play and has approached both home and away games in the same fashion this season.

The Portuguese head coach says remaining loyal to one style has helped his team and is pleased with Watford’s impressive away record.

He said: “They are fantastic numbers for us and the key is we do not change anything away or at home.

“We play in the same way and we continue to try and take points. Maybe the difference is not in our team but it is on our opponents.”

He believes teams would be foolish not to be aware of the Hornets’ strong away form and thinks Burnley will be prepared for what Watford have to offer, Silva, therefore, feels winning on their travels has been a product of their own performances rather than other sides failing to give them the credit they deserve.

“No I am sure they already realise [Watford are strong away from home],” Silva said. “They analyse our team the way we do theirs.

“Maybe the first or second game it was a surprise, but, now, no.

“We achieved good results because of our performances and we have been stronger than our opponents.”

One of the central narratives to Watford’s journey north is the return of Andre Gray to the club he left in the summer.

The striker became Watford’s record signing when he sealed an £18.5 million switch the Vicarage Road in the summer.

Gray has struggled to live up to the pricetag so far, scoring just twice this season and facing competition for a starting berth from Troy Deeney.

Returning to a former club often has a habit of triggering goalscoring muscle memory, but Silva places little significance on the striker’s return.

“I think he was happy there and performed well there as well and scored important goals for Burnley, but we are happy he plays with us,” he said.

“It is a normal situation for us and he will see team mates he knows very well. With strikers we want them to score as many goals as possible.”