Javi Gracia has said the Carabao Cup is a trophy he would like to win, after Watford were drawn away to Reading in round two earlier this week.

The Hornets are set to head to the Madejski Stadium to face Paul Clement’s side on Wednesday, August 29, with kick off at 8pm.

Watford have a poor record in the knock-out competition and have not progressed past the third round for 10 years, much to the frustration of supporters who had hoped for a cup run.

The Golden Boys have been knocked out by both Championship and League One opposition in round two during the last three seasons, with Bristol City beating Watford 3-2 at Vicarage Road last August.

Given Watford’s squad depth, a cup run is something supporters have wanted for a few years and Gracia admitted that the Carabao Cup is a competition he would like to win.

However, the Spaniard hinted that he may use the second round tie against Reading as an opportunity to give some of the squad’s fringe players some much needed game time.

“I’m sure we have good players to play in different competitions,” Gracia explained.

“They will have the chance to play sometimes with players who haven’t enjoyed many minutes in the Premier League.

“I will try to choose the best options and the best team to achieve in that competition. We will try to win all the games we can and I don’t know if we will be able to win the trophy but we will try.”