Watford are waiting to hear whether Dale Bennett will need to remain in hospital tonight after he left the 1-1 draw with West Ham United in a neck brace.

The game stopped for around eight minutes early into the second half after Bennett clashed heads with team-mate John Eustace at a Hammers’ corner.

Bennett remained motionless for several minutes and team-mates were visibly concerned after the collision.

The young defender, who spent par t of this season at Brentford, was conscious when he left the field in a neck brace and his manager is hoping his injury is not as serious as initially thought.

Watford boss Sean Dyche said: “I have just spoke to the doctors and we are waiting on feedback from the hospital.

“They suspect it is not as serious as it looked but we can’t guarantee that until the x-rays etcetera are done.

“They are deciphering whether it was a knock to the head or his neck so that is why the precautions were taken.”

Eustace also needed treatment as he once again left the field with his face covered in blood but he returned to the pitch after his head was wrapped in a bandage.

Dyche joked: “John has a nugget like mine - it cracks open, you stitch it back up and roll him back out there.

“In my day I wouldn’t have bothered I would have just said throw me back out.”