Arsene Wenger’s 22-year Arsenal tenure is an achievement which will be impossible to replicate in modern football, according to Watford’s Javi Gracia.

Gracia takes his Watford side to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in what will be his first meeting with Wenger.

The Frenchman has been under growing pressure throughout the campaign and his tenure looks to be approaching an unsavoury end.

For Gracia, Wenger’s achievements at Arsenal, which have included three Premier League triumphs and a record seven FA Cup wins, demand deference.

“Wenger deserves all my respect and I think he has done an excellent job at Arsenal during 22 years,” he said.

“Nowadays that is something impossible and I think he is a great manager.”

Arsenal’s domestic form has been woeful in recent weeks and they come into the game on the back of a run of four games on English soil without a win.

They found a port in a storm with a commanding 2-0 Europa League win over AC Milan at the San Siro on Thursday night, but tension still remains between supporters and the club.

Gracia is hopeful the Gunners will produce a rendition of their dismal display in a 2-1 loss to Brighton on Sunday rather than the win against AC Milan, but says his main focus is on Watford.

“I hope it is a different team from yesterday and plays differently,” he said. “I am concentrated on only one thing, my team.

“I want to see my team in the best way with the best performance and I am not thinking about the other team.”

Arsene Wenger praised his side for producing a performance which saw his side “respond like a boxer” and will hope to see more of the same against Watford.

When quizzed on whether the European success made the visit to the Emirates more daunting, Gracia instead chose to focus on the excitement of the Hornets testing themselves against a side of Arsenal’s stature.

“Always it is complicated to play against a good club and a big team, but we are confident,” he said.

“I think it is always a good moment to play with them and I try to enjoy every game and every game is a chance to get points. I don’t think anything else.”