The mind games were in full flow after Watford's 4-2 defeat to Manchester United with Jose Mourinho's opinion the visitors could have scored "four, five or six" evidently not shared by Marco Silva, who called his comments "harsh".

The United boss has plenty of experience in ruffling feathers down the years and may have made his compatriot his latest victim, also stating the Hornets do not have the same pressures of teams competing for "other objectives" such as the title-chasing Red Devils.

And when asked what his thoughts were on Mourinho's comments, Silva looked visibly frustrated in an otherwise calm post-match press conference.

He retorted: "I think it seems harsh [Jose’s comments] for everyone. It’s Jose’s opinion. I didn’t see the same game.

"We have a lot to lose. We play against one team where everything is different, the conditions is different, they have different targets and to be champions, we are fighting to remain in the Premier League.

"It’s a big difference, but we competed. We felt our pressure, it’s not just for the top six."