Javi Gracia does not know if Watford will reach the FA Cup final but the Watford head coach has reiterated the Hornets have a chance of achieving “something different” this season if they continue with the mentality that is continuing to serve them so well.

The Hornets will make one trip to Wembley after goals from Etienne Capoue and substitute Andre Gray sealed a 2-1 quarter-final success over Crystal Palace, leaving the Hornets one match away from another journey back to the national stadium at the end of the season.

Gracia said: “I’m very happy because in the beginning the club trust me and now in this moment all the people trust us, they will be happy with this result, with this season and this is the most important thing for me.

“After we’ll see what we are able to achieve in the future. I don’t know if we will be able to play in the final but in this moment it is our target, enjoy the semi-finals of course but after that try to play in the final with the same mentality we’ve played all season.

“Trying to be demanding, competitive and game by game I think we’ll be able to achieve something different this season.”

If one moment during a predictably tight quarter-final underlined the qualities Gracia has instilled in his squad, it came at the end of the first half when Gerard Deulofeu uncharacteristically sprinted back to help out defensively and beat James McArthur in a challenge in the left-back area.

Gracia said: “I think it’s our strength, our solidarity, our behaviour as a team. We need to play as a team, always as a team. If we play as a team we are stronger than them and we can achieve important things for the club. If we don’t do it we don’t have any chance.

“Gerard sprints and defends in that situation it was very important because it shows the character of the team and the ambition of the team. All of them have high commitment and want to help the team.

“During the game Tom Cleverley played some minutes, Andre (Gray) played some minutes and all of them showed their quality and their ambition. They are proud to belong to this team.”

Gray has now come off the bench to score the winner in three successive home matches and his delighted head coach smiled: “It’s not a surprise because he’s doing it in the last games, he always has chances to score and he’s finishing very well.

“It was a difficult decision because the game was open, but to take off Will (Hughes) and put Gerard on the right and Andre up front with Troy (Deeney) it was good for the team.”

While fans can now dream a little more of the possibility of only a second FA Cup final appearance in the club’s history, Gracia’s approach will not change – the focus is on the next game.

He said: “I know we are the first team in the semi-finals, we’ll try to enjoy the rest of the game and we’ll see what happens in the draw. But our mentality now is try to be focused on the next game which is Manchester United in the Premier League.

“This way I think is the best mentality for us, be demanding, show our ambition in all the games and this way I am sure we’ll be able to achieve something different this season.”