Heurelho Gomes’ omission from the Watford squad at Arsenal was one of the key off-field talking points of Sunday’s 3-0 defeat.

With the club tweeting personal reasons were behind the stopper’s absence and Gomes claiming otherwise after full-time, there was a certain amount of confusion as to the cause for the Brazilian being left out.

When quizzed on the issue in his pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to Liverpool on Saturday, Javi Gracia was quick to clear up any remaining doubts surrounding Gomes not making the trip to the Emirates.

The Watford head coach revealed Gomes missed training due to personal reasons in the build up to the Arsenal game, and felt selecting Orestis Karnezis and Daniel Bachmann made sense, given the duo’s involvement with his planning in the week.

“Heurelho had a personal situation after the West Brom game and from Sunday to Friday he had personal permission and didn’t train with the team,” Gracia explained.

“On Saturday when I prepared the squad list he had done his first training session with the team on Friday. I trained with Daniel and Orestis in the week.

“I chose them because I thought it was the best option for the Arsenal game. Heurelho knew the reason and I explained to him on Friday when he came back.

“It is clear to me that I had to choose the players who had trained the whole week with me.”

It was a decision which Gracia says Gomes has taken well and while he wouldn’t reveal if the keeper would return at Liverpool, he says he has a good relationship with the long-time Watford number one.

This is, however, a new situation for Gomes to get used to as he plays second fiddle at Vicarage Road for the first time in his Watford career.

Karnezis has made the most of the chance offered by a back injury suffered by Gomes in January.

The Greek stopper has done little to justify being dropped and, for now at least, Gomes is having to bide his time.

Gracia insists Gomes remains committed in training and says he gives every player ample chance to earn a spot in the starting XI.

“He is training with the team as usual,” he said. “On Saturday I gave the squad and thought it was the best thing. There is nothing else and that is it. I try to be fair with all the players.”