Who would have thought we’d be sitting here after playing Manchester United, feeling disappointed Watford didn’t get a result?

Yet for the majority, that’s exactly how we feel for a number of reasons.

Five years ago the idea of hosting the Red Devils in the Premier League game would have seem completely far-fetched, illustrating how far we have come in a short space of time.

There was sense of optimism walking up to Vicarage Road on Saturday. United were depleted without Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial, Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini and Antonio Valencia and some were optimistic we could claim a point or maybe even three.

If there was a good time to play Manchester United, some said this was it.

But that sense of optimism evaporated by half-time. Watford were visibly disjointed all over the park. It was, arguably, the worst they have played all season and that is why some are so disappointed. A better performance in the first half and who knows what the full-time score might have been.

Whilst United didn’t give Watford a moment’s piece, and they deserve credit for their professional first-half performance, there was a lack of composure from the Golden Boys on the ball.

After a couple of passes we resorted to long aimless balls up field. We were never going to get past United’s defence like that.

After Memphis Depay’s goal after 11 minutes, United were cruising. They were the ones asking us the questions. In truth, they probably should have been two or three to the good at half-time.

Watford simply cannot afford to make a habit of playing so sluggishly, especially against some of the best side’s in the league, otherwise they will be punished.

This is not the Championship now. If you are not at the top of your game for just a matter of seconds in the Premier League, you will be punished. We know that only too well.

However, it was all change in the second half. That old football cliché about ‘a game of two halves’ can be best used to describe Saturday’s affair.

The introduction of Nathan Ake at half-time coincided with a much better showing. In truth, I was perplexed that the on-loan Chelsea man didn’t start, given how well he has performed in recent weeks and the Hornets looked much more comfortable in defence.

On the basis of Watford’s second half showing, Quique Sanchez Flores’ side were more than deserving of a point.

If it wasn’t for David De Gea in goal, that could have been exactly what Watford got. Almen Abdi’s deflected strike seemed destined for the bottom corner but somehow the Spaniard pulled off a top-class save.

Who knows what the end result might have been, if that had gone in?

However, it just wasn’t to be as a cruel Troy Deeney own goal, minutes after he had put Watford back on level terms, consigned the Golden Boys to back-to-back defeats.

In the second half we gave United one almighty scare. If it wasn’t for De Gea, we could be sitting here talking about a hard earned point against one of the country’s elite.

However, these next three games for Watford are huge. The Hornets now face Aston Villa, Norwich City and Sunderland. These are the games that Flores’ men need to be taking points from.

Some would say that these are all must win games. Equally, though, they are games that Watford simply cannot afford to lose.

Bradley Hayden is the founder and sole write of @WatfordFCBlog.