Nathaniel Chalobah claimed he was "ecstatic" with Watford's win over Preston North End on Tuesday night and said it was even better than their 6-0 weekend victory over Bristol City.

A second half Joao Pedro penalty divided the two teams at Deepdale, where the Hornets had to show patience and resilience to break down a robust defensive opponent.

Speaking to the club's match day broadcast show Hive Live after the game, the midfielder said that the work rate the team showed to get the win was more impressive than Saturday's demolition job.

“I know we won by six at the weekend but this felt sweeter because today was all about putting in a shift,” said Chalobah.

“The conditions weren’t great, the pitch was bobbly and we knew what kind of game we were coming into, but honestly I’m ecstatic with that win.

“I could stand here and give credit to individuals tonight but I think collectively as a team that was one of our most solid performances.

“Every single person played their part, from Dan Bachmann all the way to the front with João Pedro. I thought Hughes, Clevs and Sierralta [played well] and Craig Cathcart was brilliant in his first game in a long time.”

The game sees the Hornets pick up back-to-back victories after three tough winless matches, but Chalobah knows it is not time for them to stop and admire their work just yet.

The day after tomorrow sees them return to action against Derby County at Vicarage Road, meaning they have to quickly switch their focus.

“We get back late tonight and then we’ve got a day to recover, and before we know it we’re into a game on Friday, so right now it’s just about preparation and recovery," he said.

“We’re going to celebrate in there for two minutes and then forget about it because we’re worried about the next game. We’ve got to enjoy the points but also focus on the next game.

"Now it’s about picking up momentum. We all know this is the business end of the league and you can’t really dwell on results at the minute."