Losing three games in a row isn’t uncommon – it happened to Watford twice last season – but the home defeat to Sheffield United was the first time Tom Cleverley had experienced it.

And the head coach admitted that this current situation is going to test him more than any of the injuries that blighted his playing career or anything he faced while playing international and top-level football.

With a trip to Premier League Fulham on the horizon in the FA Cup, and then back-to-back away league fixtures, Cleverley now has a job on his hands in order to steady the ship and plot a forward course.

“It’s a big task, and probably the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced in this industry,” he said.

“And I would include all my injury problems I went through, and playing for the biggest club in the world.

“This is the toughest challenge I’ve faced in this industry and I have enough love for the club, and enough passion to improve these players, that I will roll my sleeves up and I’ll be back in my office at 6am on Monday morning to try and improve our results.”

To be fair to the Hornets boss, to have the club in the battle for play-off places all season long after three previous campaign consisting so largely of failure is an achievement in itself.

Many would say that with the squad at his disposal and the loss of key players in the summer, Cleverley has managed to guide the team to a position of over achievement.

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“In a funny way I expect over-achievement,” he reflected.

“I think we work as hard as we possibly can, as a staff and a group of players, in order to over-achieve.

“So I see over-achieving as par and that’s probably detrimental to myself because now it looks like we’re in a real bad moment.

“I’ve set really high standards which I will continue to demand.

“So I am disappointed because for me over-achievement, what we did last season, the amount of money we generated in sales – I still expected what we’ve done this season.

“We’ve got 10 days until our next league games and it is time to have a bit of reflection and get ready for the next big push.

“It’s a big dust ourselves down moment now.

“We’ve got 10 days to reflect until we play in the league, and obviously we have an FA Cup tie at Fulham which could give a couple of players a chance to showcase themselves.

“But it’s been a disappointing period and we can’t beat around the bush.

“It does find an individual out because this is a tough, tough period for a professional footballer though December.

“It does find a few people out, especially if you lose a few games.

“I hope the players understand that and learn from it.”