A proud Javi Gracia was pleased to have achieved his target of keeping Watford in the Premier League after the Hornets overcame Newcastle United 2-1.

First half goals from Roberto Pereyra and Andre Gray proved decisive at Vicarage Road, despite Troy Deeney’s penalty miss and an Ayoze Perez strike complicating matters.

The win leaves Watford eight points clear of danger ahead of the final week of the season and Gracia was understandably pleased to keep Watford up, even if his long-term future remains uncertain.

“Today I am happy because we have achieved the objective and I think we played better in the first half where we would have killed the game if we had scored the third goal,” he said.

“I do not know if I will be here next season and this question is for another person. What I can say is that I am very proud to belong at this club.

“Today we have achieved mathematically the objective and in the next game I am concentrated on trying to get the best position in the Premier League the club has ever had.

“It is all I can say in this moment and when the season finishes we will see what will happen with the personal situation.”

Watford could easily have been home and dry after a first half in which they dominated and eased to a 2-0 lead.

Deeney’s failure from 12 yards saw the chance to wrap the points up before the interval go begging and Gracia admitted it was a game of two halves.

He was nonetheless pleased with the manner in which Watford stood firm to claim all three points as they defended resolutely to keep United at bay.

Gracia said: “We missed a penalty and in the second half Newcastle played better, created more chances, scored one goal.

“In the first half we showed more quality and in the second half we showed more character, desire and ambition. We suffered a lot and we got the three points.”