Gary Neville believes Watford have a real chance of avoiding relegation from the Premier League this season but says the Hornets must find a way of scoring regularly at Vicarage Road.

The Sky Sports pundit and England coach was commentating on the Golden Boys’ defeat to Crystal Palace yesterday and was impressed with the work ethic of Quique Sanchez Flores’ side.

However, the Manchester United legend did state the Hornets’ return of just one goal from four home league games this season isn’t good enough for a team who are battling against the drop.

“I think Watford work really hard,” the former England full-back said on the Gary Neville podcast.

“It is the first time I have seen them live and they really did look a well organised and difficult unit to break down. That is the starting base and foundation for any team.

“On the other side of that, a team has to score goals. Watford have only scored once here [at Vicarage Road] in four matches and that will be a big concern to the management, players and fans.

“You can’t keep clean sheets in the Premier League every week. Watford have got Arsenal coming here next and they will be very fortunate to keep a clean sheet against Arsenal because of the quality of their players.

“Games like today [against Palace] you need a bit more quality and you need to be inventive. Watford only really came alive after Palace scored. I don’t know how you work on that with the players that you have got - you are dealt a hand.

“Watford have a couple of talented players - (Jose Manuel) Jurado looks a talented player - but the service into the two strikers was poor.

“They were living off scraps at best and that will not be good enough in this league unfortunately.

“But Watford are doing well and they’ve got a good work ethic that gives them a real chance of staying up.”

Neville, who is arguably the most respected football pundit in the country, said the quality of football played by both Watford and Crystal Palace during yesterday’s game “wasn’t great” but added the nous of Wilfried Zaha to win a second half penalty proved the difference.

“It [the game] was decided by a mistake,” he said. “It was positive play by Zaha but it is a mistake by Allan Nyom.

“He (Nyom) had been run at all day but Watford had been so resolute and difficult to break down. Nyom was rash at a critical moment. To tackle in the box like that as a full-back is giving the attacker an opportunity to go down.

“It is inside the box and Zaha knows what he is doing. He takes the tumble knowing Nyom isn’t anywhere near the ball.

“That has decided the match. Watford’s players and fans will be disappointed but it was such a tight game that could’ve gone either way.”