Watford boss Nigel Pearson insists forgotten striker Andre Gray is in his thoughts.

With the club in the middle of a congested schedule, the head coach said Gray is likely to get his chance to prove his worth sooner rather than later.

"He's got pace and he can stretch teams and he will be important for us to be able to bring to the team what are clearly his strengths," said the head coach.

"At the moment, in my time here his opportunities have been limited, but as I've said, the games programme now is so congested that it goes without saying that it tests a squad of players' belief in what is the squad ethic. It's alright saying, 'yeah we've got a strong squad ethic', but what it really tests is when a player is given an opportunity, they go out there and take it and for me he's a player that I know will bring some different qualities to us because he's got more pace to run the channels.

"I actually spoke via message with Joey Barton the other day and he was telling me that he's a good lad and he'll do well for us, so I know he's a different type of player for us and his opportunity will come and what he's got to be like everyone else who's currently on the edge of the team, or on the cusp of getting a chance is they've got to be able to take their chance when they get it and really that's the squad ethic that we have to live by."