Nathaniel Chalobah is fit to face Newcastle United on Saturday but has been warned he faces a battle to break into Watford’s starting XI by Javi Gracia.

Watford’s head coach confirmed the 23-year-old has recovered from the minor knee complaint which saw him miss the trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Saturday’s 3-0 defeat of Huddersfield Town.

Having shaken off the injury, Chalobah will travel with Watford looking to add to his three Watford appearances so far this season.

Doing so from the start looks unlikely though, with the imperious duo of Etienne Capoue forming the midfield driving force for Watford’s fine start to the campaign.

Gracia is fully aware of Chalobah’s quality, but says the form of Doucoure and Capoue means the former Chelsea man must bide his time and take his chance when it arrives.

“First of all, I think Chalobah is a very good player and he always has a chance. It doesn’t depend only on my decision and other players are playing really well,” Gracia said.

“When he has his chance I am sure he will play well, but, in this moment, we have two players in midfield who everybody knows have been playing well.”

Despite his limited game time, which has so far yielded just a cameo four minute outing in the league, Chalobah still made it into England’s most recent squad and earned his senior debut.

He joined Watford last summer with a desire to play regular first team football being one of the main reasons for departing Stamford Bridge in favour of Vicarage Road.

Similar frustrations could, therefore, resurface should Chalobah fail to get minutes for the Hornets.

Gracia, though, believes Chalobah understands that his injury means others have moved ahead of him in the pecking order.

“I do not know how he is feeling in this moment and I think he wants to play more for sure,” the Spaniard said.

“After a long period injured he has to know there were other players in his position and they are playing well.

“When he has his chance I am sure he will take advantage and show us what he can do.”

While Chalobah is in line to feature at St James’ Park, Watford skipper Troy Deeney is not expected to play any part on Tyneside.

The striker, who had formed a dangerous attacking partnership with Andre Gray early in the season, is still training away from the rest of the Watford squad as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

Tom Cleverley, meanwhile, is set to step up his rehabilitation from an Achilles complaint which needed surgery in the summer.

The midfielder is still someway off a return and will be managed back carefully, but his progress offers more encouragement for Gracia.

Sebastian Prodl is still unavailable after limping off against Wolves but Craig Cathcart is fit to start after being replaced in the win over the Terriers.

The Northern Ireland international has started all of Watford’s games this season but Gracia remains confident he has the fitness to deal with such demands.