Micah Hyde believes that Watford should sign Fulham star Aleksandar Mitrovic in order to solve their goal conundrum.

Free-scoring Mitrovic is the Championship’s top scorer so far this season with 23 strikes to his name as opposed to Watford’s total tally of 27 goals.

Hyde said that the reason Watford have been floundering in the bottom six has its roots in the fact that goals from their main centre-forwards have dried up.

Strikers Troy Deeney, Andre Gray and Danny Welbeck have only managed eight goals between them whereas Mitrovic’s heroics in front of goal have led Fulham to the cusp of promotion.

And despite playing a big part and netting once in the 3-0 win over Liverpool in March, Hyde claimed that Deeney’s influence on games is waning as time is slowly but surely catching up with him.

“Watford need a centre-forward and if I was to suggest one name, I’ll say Aleksandar Mitrovic. Go and get him," said Hyde.

“He has a proven record but has something to prove still because he didn’t do too well the first time in the Prem, but he can score goals and I think he would do well for Watford. We need someone like Mitro to challenge and possibly put Deeney under more pressure.

“We create several chances in every game but we need someone to finish them. I think Deeney hasn’t done enough and scored enough goals for me this season and we need someone to help Troy because he isn’t getting younger. Mitrovic is the name I suggest.

“Other than that, Watford also need also need a top class midfielder and a centre-half as well, this is a Premiership team! We have Cathcart, Kabasele and Dawson but we need another, possibly younger centre-half.”

A shortage of goals is not the only reason Watford have been struggling this campaign and Hyde acknowledged that the 6-0 demolition at the hands of Manchester City in the FA Cup final last summer and a miserable run of form towards the end of last season took a toll on the players.

“That game against Man City affected the beginning of this season and therefore we are in the position we are in, because of that final," he said.

"But also because in the back end of last season, when we were losing too many games in a row.

“Watford were having a good season last year but in my heart of hearts I knew when they went into the FA Cup final that it was gonna be hard and I hoped City would have an unlikely day off. I said to myself that day: ‘I hope we do not get beat too heavy today”.

“ But on that day we played against a team that can play and move the ball so well while we was in a very bad form going into that game, we were in a downward spiral where we were losing too many games in a row. However, I don’t think that Heurelho Gomes was the issue that day. He is a good goalkeeper and a fantastic servant to the club. Gomes, Foster or whoever was in goal that day would the scoreline have been different? I don’t know think so.

“It was the mentality and you can’t take that mentality into a final against Man City, so it didn’t surprise me to see them get bettered. But that’s nothing to be scared or ashamed of to see it and admit but I saw it coming.

“But the club now has to move forward because that’s what football is about and I think Nigel Pearson should only be offered a new contract if he keeps them up."