Watford captain Troy Deeney is seeing a psychologist every week after his first half of the season was blighted by indiscipline.

Deeney has earned seven games worth of bans this campaign, for gouging Stoke City’s Joe Allen and a lunge on Huddersfield Town’s Collin Quaner last month.

Now, he concedes people have been seeing his ‘serious side’ and has sought help to make life more enjoyable for him — and his wife.

Troy Deeney has revealed he is seeing a sports psychologist to help curb his indiscipline

‘Football is a tough test of your mental resolve,’ Deeney told Watford's official programme. ‘I have a chat each week with a sports psychologist and he gets to see that vulnerability that’s within all professional sports people.

‘It also saves my family, the missus in particular, from getting a full download every single day. Like I said, everyone will have their own way of separating work and home life.’

Deeney created both goals in Watford’s two-goal turnaround against Southampton on Saturday, turning the game after coming on as a half-time substitute.

It was an upturn in form for a player who has not scored from open play in the Premier League this season, and for a club who have lost seven of their last 10 in the league.

Deeney was handed a three-game ban after appearing to gouge Stoke City's Joe Allen

‘It’s important to me, because I’m the kind of person that likes to enjoy my football,’ Deeney said. ‘I’ve got the best job in the world — but probably people have seen the serious side of me lately that likes to be winning and scoring.

‘That’s where I feel I’m getting back to right now.’ Deeney, 29, has attracted interest from Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion this month but Watford manager Marco Silva is reluctant to see him leave.

The Hornets do not have a replacement lined up yet and have had no indication that the interest in Deeney is firm enough to consider his departure as it stands.