Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores believes tomorrow’s game against Manchester United is an opportunity for football to send a message of peace to the world following the terrorist attacks in Paris last Friday.

The Hornets welcome Louis van Gaal’s side to Vicarage Road tomorrow (Saturday) lunchtime in the first Premier League game to be played since the atrocities took place in France a week ago.

The English top flight has a worldwide audience and hundreds of millions will be watching around the globe as the two sides take to the field.

“It is important to send a good message to the rest of the world: To live in peace,” Watford’s head coach Flores said.

“That is very important. We have a great responsibility. There is great power with football. It was an amazing response during the week with the national teams.

"My feelings were touched when I watched the scenes at Wembley. It was amazing. What happened in France was tragic and I offer my condolences to everyone.”

Flores added: “It was very painful for everyone. This is the situation we find ourselves in. Yes we can stop playing but I know playing gives people happiness. We have to play for the people. They deserve to be happy.”

They were heartfelt sentiments from a man who continues to represent Watford with impeccable grace. And his touching words were echoed by Watford’s eloquent captain Troy Deeney ahead of the game.

“Football doesn’t state you have to be a certain colour or ethnicity to play. Everyone is in it together,” Deeney said.

“What happened in France has been well documented and anyone who has been affected by it we send our condolences too.

“But I have no concerns (about safety). I’m from the school of thought that if something happens then there is not much I can do to stop it.

“Live life as it comes. You learn to appreciate each day when something like that happens.”

Etienne Capoue is the only Frenchman in Watford’s squad and Flores says the midfielder was understandably affected by what happened in Paris However, he insists Capoue is in the right frame of mind to face United tomorrow.

“I felt he was affected very much by what happened,” Flores explained. “I felt he wasn’t completely concentrated on the training during the week.

"I had a talk with him. He is sad like everyone else. I tried to help Capoue reach a better state because he is very important for us. He is ready to play.”

It was confirmed yesterday the French national anthem will be played before all Premier League matches this weekend.

There will also be increased safety measures. There will be extra police around Vicarage Road and stricter searches of supporters as they enter the ground.

But once that whistle is blown at 12.45pm tomorrow football will once again take centre stage.

The Hornets’ task isn’t easy. The Red Devils may not be playing the free-flowing football of years gone by but they are difficult to beat. Van Gaal’s side have the best defensive record in the division and sit fourth in the table.

However, they have been branded as boring by former players in the media. Something Flores disagrees with entirely.

“Van Gaal is respecting the style of Manchester United,” he insisted. “It is not boring. Their first objective is to keep the ball. It is part of a process. The last part of that process is to be aggressive in the last third. Maybe they are not aggressive in the last third at the moment but they are efficient.”

Much like Watford then. The Hornets may have only scored 11 goals in 12 games but it has been enough to put them 11th in the table.

“We have sent out a message about what we can do,” Flores said. “What we are doing is being noticed. Every week journalists are coming to talk to the players, the sporting director or me. They are talking with everyone. That means we are doing something good.

"But I don’t want to change our expectations. Our target remains the same. We want to stay in the category. It will be a mistake if we think any other way.”