Andre Gray admits to being surprised by Javi Gracia’s decision to partner him with Troy Deeney in attack this season.

Watford’s record £18.5 million signing had to play second fiddle for much of Javi Gracia’s early days in charge of Watford, as the Spaniard played with a solitary out and out forward in 2017/18.

This season has seen that approach change dramatically and a 4-4-2 formation has led to Gray and Deeney starting each of Watford’s Premier League games together.

The decision to play the pair came a week after Gracia first did so in Watford’s final pre-season of the summer against Sampdoria and Gray hasn’t looked back since.

“Last season, the way it went, we played together a lot in training but come game day it never materialised,” Gray told Sky Sports.

“In that game (Sampdoria) we knew we had to put in a performance if we wanted to carry on in the first game of the season.

“I think it is just the way modern managers have come along (not playing two strikers). Obviously we have more foreign managers and players now, but sometimes it is good to get a bit old school. A lot of teams are not used to two strikers.”

Deeney and Gray’s partnership this season has so far proven profitable with the duo contributing three goals between them in Watford’s first four league games.

The two linked up to good effect at Burnley where Gray expertly turned in Deeney’s cross to open the scoring and Gray believes a selfless approach has helped both players.

He said: “You see on the pitch we are not selfish with each other and want each other to score. It doesn’t matter [who scores] and it is about the team.”

From Deeney’s point of view the partnership was always likely to work given his and Gray’s differing qualities.

The Watford skipper’s physicality and strong hold up play compliment Gray’s pace and ability to stretch teams by running in behind.

Deeney is eager for the partnership to continue blossoming and understands that the best way to ensure it does just that is to produce on the pitch.

“We are not that different in terms of stature but are in terms of attributes,” Deeney said. “Anyone who knows what I am not good at knows he is good at that and vice versa, so we complement each other really well.”

“We played the first game and we realised we had to make it happen and we have done that in the last three games. We have said before every game let’s make it so he [Javi Gracia] can’t drop us.”