Three months ago few would have predicted that Matej Vydra – who had just scored six goals in nine games – would lose his place to Odion Ighalo and that such a move would be welcomed by a large section of the Watford fans.

It is indicative of not only the incredible contrast, and turnaround, of the strikers’ form but also the attitude and work rate of Ighalo.

The 25-year-old only found the net 15 times in 73 appearances during his final three years at Granada, albeit the last two were in Spanish football’s top flight, and three goals in his initial 18 outings for the Hornets would not have had Vydra fearing for his place in the starting XI.

It was hoped, and in some circles even expected, that the Vydra-Troy Deeney partnership would be the one to fire Watford to automatic promotion. It was widely expected that Ighalo would have to make his impact from the bench.

But four goals in as many games for Ighalo and Vydra’s failure to find the net in his last 11 outings appears to have resulted in a changing of the guard.

There are 20 games and 60 points still to play for so it isn’t simply management speak when head coach Slavisa Jokanovic says he will need all of his strikers if they are to secure a top-two finish.

But Ighalo could not have done any more in the last month to cement his place in the line-up for the coming weeks. Yet he is not taking his inclusion as a given.

“That is the gaffer’s decision,” Ighalo replied, when asked if he felt he had done enough to secure his place.

“My job is to get up every morning and do my best in training. At the start of the season I was not playing but I knew my chance would come. I kept my head high and continued to work hard. I think I am now benefiting from my hard work. If I am on the bench then I will still give 100 per cent.”

He added: “At the beginning it was not easy but now I have started to feel happier about my work. I can still do better than I am doing so I want to keep my head high and keep working.”

Ighalo grew up in Nigeria and believes his humble beginnings taught him hard work was a must if he was to improve his life and achieve the dream of being a professional footballer.

The team’s work rate is something Jokanovic highlighted as being a problem after the débâcle at Huddersfield.

The inclusion of Ighalo the following week was a contributing factor in it improving against Charlton Athletic. The pressing of Ighalo, Deeney and his teammates was a cornerstone of the 5-0 victory.

“The team really worked hard from the first minute to the last,” Ighalo said. “We chased every ball and I can see the team doing better if we play like this.

“The last game [at Huddersfield] wasn’t good but we have been training very hard and we talked to each other [about the 3-1 defeat]. When we are playing at home we have to play with more confidence and we have to take the game to them from the first minute, and we did that [against Charlton].”

Ighalo started his interview by saying he wanted to praise the rest of the team before discussing his own performance and recent form.

He was also complimentary about his strike partner when asked about Deeney, who scored his first goal in six outings on Saturday and, like Ighalo, produced an excellent display.

“Troy is a good player and a good guy,” he said. “He is the captain of the team and is a good leader. I am happy for him.

“He is one of the motivators in the team, the way he speaks to the guys. I am very happy for him and I want to keep on believing that we will do well together and make sure we get the goals to help the team.”

Ighalo initially joined Watford on a season-long loan before the switch was made permanent in October. It didn’t take him long to realise the Championship was an unforgiving place, especially when you underestimate the opposition.

He admitted: “Sometimes we take to the pitch and take it too lightly because we think ‘well this team didn’t do well in their last game and all that’. Football is not like that.

“This league can shock you and you have to take every game seriously. You saw today (Saturday) that we chased every ball and worked hard as a team and we got a good result.

“We have to forget about this game [against Charlton] now and work hard from the first minute against Blackpool. We have to make sure we get the three points because we are playing at home.”

The Pozzo family have compiled a talented squad because they expect automatic promotion this season.

But the Hornets currently occupy sixth place and are six points below the top two, with a game in hand.

Ighalo has joined Jokanovic in stating the players must work hard in every match if they want to obtain their goal of Premier League football. Talent alone is not enough.

He said: “We have a good team that can go up this season but we have to fight in every game. You can’t just say it with your mouth; you have to work hard as a team.

“It is difficult to win every game but we have to keep working hard like today and we will have a better chance to go up.”

However, he did add: “We have good teams in this league and I think our 5-0 win today will really send a message to the other teams that we are a contender to go up.”