A week after being left out of Watford’s starting XI for a Premier League fixture for the first time Troy Deeney responded with a match-winning double in the Hornets’ 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

That brace included this first goal in open play in the league since the victory at Aston Villa on November 28.

He was rightly lauded by his coach afterwards with Quique Sanchez Flores quick to extol his captain’s virtues.

“It’s very important [for him to score],” said Flores. “I think he’s a very natural player. Normally he doesn’t waste time thinking about bad things – he’s very positive.

“I always say he’s a really important player for us. An essential player in the system and he represents the values of Watford very well.

“He knows everything about Watford; the history, he has played in every leagues and he scored. For strikers it’s always very important to score.”

He continued: “I think he has an amazing personality. He’s always ready for everything.

"He’s not just a striker for us. He started the season playing as a striker then played as a second striker and now he’s playing in another system.

“The values in terms of the collective, work, pressure, defending deep and transitions means he is a very important for us. He’s done very well for us."

Flores was asked – and not for the first time – at his Thursday press conference whether the Hornets’ number nine could play for England.

He was emphatic in his reply then. And, asked again whether the former Walsall hitman could make the step up to international football, he backed the forward once more.

“Yes [he is good enough for international football],” stated Flores. “I said in my weekly press conference he is the kind of player you can combine with everyone. With (Harry) Kane, (Jamie) Vardy or other players.

“I want to stop talking about that because I’m not the manager of the national team. I have a lot of respect for (Roy) Hodgson,” he added.

Deeney outshone Crystal Palace goalscorer Emmanuel Adebayor who could have been turning out in Watford colours had the club not had a change of heart last month.

The former Arsenal and Manchester City striker, inevitably, found the back of the net to draw Palace level but was otherwise frustrated by Sebastian Prodl and Craig Cathcart.

“I think he’s a very good player and I think today he wanted to show everyone he deserves to always play at the best level because he’s an amazing player,” explained Flores.

“But I think we stopped him well. He played well, of course, but we stopped him well – it’s not easy.

“We kept Adebayor far away from the box for a long time. When we defended a little bit deeper, because Crystal Palace pushed in the second, Adebayor was a little bit closer to the box.

“But in general I think we defended very well against Adebayor.”

Less impressive was the Eagles’ defending for Watford’s opener. Mile Jedinak was the guilty party, wrestling Deeney to the floor at corner, leaving Bobby Madley to award the Hornets a penalty.

Flores refused to be drawn on the decision, though. He said: “It’s difficult. I didn’t see anything. But it’s necessary to be brave.

“If it’s a penalty it’s a penalty. But it’s difficult and I didn’t see anything. From my position on the bench it’s impossible to see anything in the box.”