The injury sustained by Dan Gosling cast a shadow over Slaven Bilic’s post-match press conference at Bristol City.

The Watford head coach was visibly shaken up as he explained that the early assessment was a ruptured Achilles tendon that could keep Gosling out of action for several months.

Having made the right full-back position his own amid an injury crisis, Gosling has started the last nine games and switched into midfield during that run when required.

The 32-year-old had shown his value to the club, having found himself without a squad number and training on his own only a few months earlier.

“I don’t have the right words,” said Bilic.

“He’s a brilliant guy and a brilliant player, and it’s great to have him in training and in the squad.

“We need a right back I said, ‘no problem boss’ he said. He stepped in, and doesn’t just cover the position but makes a difference in that position for five games.

“Then we put him back in midfield, no problem for him, then back in defence, no problem.

“He is a top guy, a top professional.”

READ MORE: Bristol City 0 Watford 0 - match report

Any injury since as this will need further assessment but Bilic said the initial signs were not good.

“I hope it’s not but it looked like a big rupture of the Achilles,” he said.

“We will be behind him, we’ll wait for him and hopefully he’ll come back as soon as possible.

“He said he heard a sound like someone had kicked him, but he was alone. According to our physios, that’s exactly what happens when you rupture it.

“It’s a massive blow. We have a brilliant medical department, we are just so unlucky. Gosling, Louza, Cleverley . . . Ngakia is back after months out. It’s crazy.”

Reflecting on the 0-0 draw, Bilic said he was pleased to come away with a point while admitting the performance was not good.

“It was a fight, a war. I didn’t enjoy the game, but when I reflect it was a good point for us.

“The home crowd was very good. The pitch wasn’t great, because of the rugby. It wasn’t awful but it wasn’t the greatest, though that isn’t an excuse.

“They were on the front foot, the crowd was up for it and that’s what made this point a good one for us. Someone said to me it was game that a couple of months ago we’d have lost the game. I wasn’t here a couple of months ago so I don’t know.

“I wasn’t proud of our performance because it wasn’t good, nowhere near it. But I’m proud that we got a point.

“We had to start without two of our best players, we weren’t good on the ball, the home team is so aggressive – you are very likely to lose the game. But we got a point and they didn’t create a lot.

“Bachmann made one good save from a header but otherwise they were always there with good balls and passing, but not chances because we defended well as a team.

“We weren’t good on the ball, apart from Davis who had a really good game. He was holding the ball, he’s in good form. The rest of the boys lacked quality, not just in the final third but everywhere.

“They closed us down and we weren’t passing the ball we were rolling it to each other. Well done to them and I said that to Nigel (Pearson). They showed great spirit, but we got a point.

“Did we want more than a point before the game? Yes of course. But it wasn’t our day today, let’s not be greedy, this was a good point.

“We approach every game with the aim of winning, but considering everything going into the game and what happened during the game, a point was good.”

It came as no surprise to Bilic when he was told the Hornets had not managed an on-target goal attempt during the game

“How can you have shots on targets when you don’t win second balls, you don’t play on the front foot, your first touch isn’t moving forwards?” he asked rhetorically.

“It’s a shame because Davis was very good. The rest of the team didn’t use him properly because he was holding up almost every pass we gave to him. But then after that not much was happening.

“I’m not surprised we didn’t have shots on target when you bear that in mind.

“Many times when you don’t have a good game you can still score, but we didn’t look doing that today.”