Troy Deeney isn’t someone who lacks self-belief. So when Watford’s captain says he knew he’d make it to the Premier League, even when he was sitting in a jail cell, you believe him.

The 27-year-old’s back story has been recounted countless times over the last three years. The details of which can be easily found from several different sources online.

Put simply. Deeney made a huge mistake. Served his time for it. And, by his own admission, has come out the other side a much better person.

And tomorrow he will lead Watford out at Vicarage Road to take on Manchester United.

Could Deeney have imagined such a scenario when he sat in a Manchester prison after being sentenced for affray? Apparently so.

“I’ve got friends coming down on Saturday, my cellmates. I told them it would all come true,” he says purposefully.

“I knew what I was going to do. I couldn’t say this team will buy me or this team will keep me. I knew what I would do from that moment.

“I knew no matter what, it wasn’t going to happen again. No matter if people push my buttons or push me to my limits it wouldn’t happen again. Most people talk. Why get angry about it?”

That last sentence is important. Deeney no longer sweats the small stuff. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion after all.

But if you doubt the Hornets striker then he will do everything in his power to prove you wrong.

“I’ve done it my whole life. It is good fun. When people write me off, that is when I do my best work,” he says.

“It’s funny because with the greatest respect they (pundits) don’t know anything. They only know what they see.

“They know what they saw last season but we are not the same this season.

“We are not going to try and score six goals a game and leave ourselves open at the back. That would be naïve and we’d lose every week.

“So when people say ‘Watford are going to lose this weekend’ I just sit back and say ‘we’ll see’.”

It will be the same approach Deeney will take to the Golden Boys’ clash with the Red Devils tomorrow.

Louis van Gaal’s side may have a number of injuries to key players but they are still favourites to come away from Vicarage Road with three points.

So Watford will have to prove the bookies wrong.

“When you play the big boys there is an element that if you get anything it’s a bonus,” Deeney says. “But we’ve been in every game this season.

“That’s what we plan do to again and if we get chances hopefully we can score. But we are at our place in front of our great fans.

“Look at the West Ham game. Everyone thought we were going to lose because they’d beaten three of the top four away from home. But we dominated them. So we will see what happens on Saturday." 

He adds: “It makes a big statement I suppose (if Watford were to win) but in the grand scheme of things it is another three points.

“It would probably be great for the fans because they would really enjoy it.

"Don’t get me wrong, we’d enjoy beating Manchester United as players but we wouldn’t indulge it. We’d be back in Sunday and preparing for Aston Villa.”

United have come under criticism this season for their style of play with one noteable former player branding van Gaal’s side as boring.

Whether that is the case or not the Dutchman’s players are getting results. They sit fourth in the Premier League and have the strongest defence in the division. 

“It is a perfect example of why football is funny,” Deeney explains. “When David Moyes was there everyone was unhappy with everything.

“Now they are two points off top and everyone is still complaining. I think the global brand that is Manchester United – and that’s what they are now – is used to seeing attacking winning football.

“They are not used to change. I think that’s the best way to describe it.”

He adds: “You’ve got to look at their bench. They’ve got people like Memphis Depay who has come under a bit of pressure but he is a quality player. These are guys who can open you up at any point.

“When the big boys are under pressure then you know at any point they can get it right. I said the same thing about Chelsea a few weeks ago. When they get it right somebody is in for a hiding. Hopefully it is not us.”