Life as a Premier League striker is one of risk and reward where criticism arrives just as readily as glory as you deal in football’s premium commodity - goals.

Andre Gray can attest to the topsy-turvy nature of leading the line at the highest level as he looks to kick on in his second season at Watford.

A maiden campaign, which yielded just five goals and represented scant return on Watford’s record £18.5 million outlay, saw Gray jettisoned from the starting XI on a number of occasions.

Of course, the new season brings a fresh opportunity for Gray to prove his worth and he is determined to do so after admitting to struggling with confidence at times last term.

“You do question your own ability,” Gray said. “Sometimes you are on the training pitch and you feel invincible and think you will be able to do this, that and the other at the weekend.

“The next day you can’t even kick a ball straight. You have a bad game and everything opens up and you start hearing one fan in a 30,000 crowd say something.

“It was massive for me to start on Saturday and I knew I was coming back into pre-season and had to do a lot to get into the starting XI.

“I felt I finished last season well but it wasn’t the best season on the whole. I knew I had to come back fit and prove myself and I did that.”

Watford Observer:

Gray found form during Watford's pre-season

Gray’s inclusion in the 2-0 opening day win over Brighton was the first tangible reward for the work he has put in and saw him partner Troy Deeney up top.

Javi Gracia’s reluctance to employ a 4-4-2 formation last season often saw Gray overlooked for other options - a situation which sits uncomfortably with any professional.

While he confesses to being frustrated by a lack of game time, Gray insists he never allowed his determination to win Gracia around wain.

“I obviously didn’t have the best of starts under Javi. I have had to fight to prove him wrong and show I can play the way he wants,” the 27-year-old explained.

“I try not to talk too much and feel if you are good enough you are going to play, if not, you won’t. There were maybe a few times I wanted to be involved a bit more and haven’t had the chance.

“I have had to wait and prove myself at the training ground. It is easy to mope around and strop but that is not going to get you anywhere. You have to have a good attitude and that has helped me show what I am capable of.”

While 4-4-2 was the order of the day for the first game of the season, Gracia has confirmed he will be fluid with his formation throughout the campaign.

Gray accepts this may mean spells out of the side, but he remains hugely positive on his ambitions for the new campaign.

A smile breaks across his face as he jokingly says he aims to “score in every game” he plays when quizzed on his targets for the remainder of the season.

The first chance to do just that comes in the form of a visit to his former employers Burnley on Sunday.

Gray credits Clarets boss Sean Dyche, who was previously in charge at Vicarage Road, with having a big impact on his career and says it comes as little surprise to see Burnley competing in the Europa League.

“I probably had the best time of my career up there and we got promoted before maintaining Premier League status,” he said.

“You could definitely see they had the quality to push on and had two or three players in the England squad which tells you everything.

“He (Dyche) helped me develop in a lot of ways, not just on the pitch but mentally and off the pitch he helped me grow as a man. At the time it was the perfect club for me.”

Watford Observer:

Impressing under Sean Dyche at Burnley earned Gray a record £18.5 million move to Watford

Burnley’s success will have many clubs of a similar size in the Premier League hoping to pursue a top-seven finish this season.

For Gray, the Watford squad has the potential to follow in his former club’s footsteps as long as they continue to show unity.

“The Europa League is a goal this season and with the players we have we can do that. Pereyra has played in the Champions League final and we have top players,” he said.

“These things don’t just happen and it comes from a togetherness which we showed on Saturday. We fought for each other and we need to do that all season.”