Watford head coach Vladimir Ivic has told his players they have to work hard for their place in the team if they want to keep playing week-in-week-out.

Following a derby victory over Luton Town on Saturday, in which Brazilian striker Joao Pedro scored the winner on his 19th birthday, the Serbian was quick to reiterate the importance of the team over individuals and said the players needed to show that they can work for others not just themselves.

"Joao Pedro's played three games and he's a striker who today is 19-years-old and it's important for him to work hard for the team first of all," said the head coach. "For me, it's important that every one of them puts themself to the team and to do what the team needs from them.

Watford Observer:

"Normally a quality player, we will recognise them and they will show their quality in these games. For sure, Pedro's a guy with quality and the rest of my players, not just Joao Pedro are players with quality. What we want to do, we want to fix one group of players who knows their position in the team and they need to work for the team.

"The team is who wins the game, that means not one player, the team wins the game. It's very important for all of us to know what 'team' means."

One potentially important player who returned to the matchday squad was Troy Deeney, who came off the bench with a few minutes remaining, to play for the first time since he said he had possibly made his last appearance for the club following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season.

Ivic understands why Deeney could be such an influential person for his squad, but said the same criteria applies to the striker, who also needs to prove himself worthy of a starting place.

"Troy Deeney is a guy who's grown here and he knows the mentality of the club, he knows everything and I'm sure he's happy when the team wins," said Ivic. "He's an experienced player, he understands very well his role in the team. For sure, we wait for him to be ready by working day-by-day to improve his physical ability to help us.

"For me, I respect all of them and it's just competition for the pitch. They need to show on the pitch who's better and to work for the team, put themselves to the team and not have a problem.

"We have now in this moment five strikers and Andre Gray is a striker. He's worked with us from the beginning, he worked very hard. He got this kind of injury and stayed out. I can speak about Glenn Murray, who came to help us. He will help us for sure.

"The guys who played today, both of them Sarr and Pedro, are players who are quality guys and just need to put some direction of their game to help the team. For sure they will help how they helped today."