Will Hughes says Watford cannot afford to let their win over Manchester United be another false dawn as they bid to avoid relegation.

The club went into Sunday’s match with just nine points from 17 games and no team have recovered from such a poor start in the Premier League and stayed up.

They have, however, breathed new life into their survival hopes by beating United 2-0 at Vicarage Road, courtesy of second-half goals from Ismaila Sarr and Troy Deeney.

The victory was only Watford’s second Premier League win of the season and moves them to within six points of safety, but Hughes has warned his team-mates this is only the beginning of a tough battle.

In Pictures | Watford vs Manchester United | 22/12/2019 36 show all In Pictures | Watford vs Manchester United | 22/12/2019 1/36 AP 2/36 AFP via Getty Images 3/36 Getty Images 4/36 REUTERS 5/36 REUTERS 6/36 Action Images via Reuters 7/36 Action Images via Reuters 8/36 REUTERS 9/36 AFP via Getty Images 10/36 Getty Images 11/36 Getty Images 12/36 REUTERS 13/36 Getty Images 14/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 15/36 PA 16/36 AFP via Getty Images 17/36 REUTERS 18/36 Action Images via Reuters 19/36 Getty Images 20/36 AFP via Getty Images 21/36 Getty Images 22/36 Getty Images 23/36 AFP via Getty Images 24/36 AFP via Getty Images 25/36 Getty Images 26/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 27/36 Getty Images 28/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 29/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 30/36 Getty Images 31/36 REUTERS 32/36 Getty Images 33/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 34/36 REUTERS 35/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 36/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 1/36 AP 2/36 AFP via Getty Images 3/36 Getty Images 4/36 REUTERS 5/36 REUTERS 6/36 Action Images via Reuters 7/36 Action Images via Reuters 8/36 REUTERS 9/36 AFP via Getty Images 10/36 Getty Images 11/36 Getty Images 12/36 REUTERS 13/36 Getty Images 14/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 15/36 PA 16/36 AFP via Getty Images 17/36 REUTERS 18/36 Action Images via Reuters 19/36 Getty Images 20/36 AFP via Getty Images 21/36 Getty Images 22/36 Getty Images 23/36 AFP via Getty Images 24/36 AFP via Getty Images 25/36 Getty Images 26/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 27/36 Getty Images 28/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 29/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 30/36 Getty Images 31/36 REUTERS 32/36 Getty Images 33/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 34/36 REUTERS 35/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag 36/36 Manchester United via Getty Imag

“When we beat Norwich [November 8] we thought that was a start and then we didn’t progress from then,” said the midfielder, 24. “We need to knuckle down. It is just three points and we are still bottom of the League.

“We can’t take our foot off the pedal now because we have won one game — which we probably did against Norwich after beating them.

“We need to go to Sheffield [United on Boxing Day], put in the same performance and get three points. We have experience of this [situation] in the squad — players that have been to the bottom and been to the top.

“But it is not about talking, it is about doing it on the pitch. Hopefully this will be the start of a good run.”

Yesterday’s victory was a huge confidence boost for Watford as Deeney’s penalty gave him his first goal since returning from injury in November. Winger Sarr, who was signed for a club-record fee of £35million in the summer, also made a huge impact as he scored — thanks to David de Gea’s suspect handling — and won the penalty for Deeney.

The 21-year-old has struggled to settle since leaving Rennes, but Hughes thinks the Senegal international has now turned a corner.

In Pictures | Liverpool vs Watford | 14/12/2019 23 show all In Pictures | Liverpool vs Watford | 14/12/2019 1/23 Getty Images 2/23 REUTERS 3/23 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 4/23 Action Images via Reuters 5/23 Action Images via Reuters 6/23 PA 7/23 AP 8/23 Action Images via Reuters 9/23 Action Images via Reuters 10/23 REUTERS 11/23 REUTERS 12/23 AP 13/23 AFP via Getty Images 14/23 Getty Images 15/23 Getty Images 16/23 AFP via Getty Images 17/23 REUTERS 18/23 Getty Images 19/23 PA 20/23 AP 21/23 AP 22/23 Getty Images 23/23 Getty Images 1/23 Getty Images 2/23 REUTERS 3/23 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 4/23 Action Images via Reuters 5/23 Action Images via Reuters 6/23 PA 7/23 AP 8/23 Action Images via Reuters 9/23 Action Images via Reuters 10/23 REUTERS 11/23 REUTERS 12/23 AP 13/23 AFP via Getty Images 14/23 Getty Images 15/23 Getty Images 16/23 AFP via Getty Images 17/23 REUTERS 18/23 Getty Images 19/23 PA 20/23 AP 21/23 AP 22/23 Getty Images 23/23 Getty Images

“It is difficult to transition from a different league at such a young age. It doesn’t just happen automatically,” he said. “He has worked hard and is getting rewards on the pitch. He is a fantastic player with a lot of potential.

“He just needs that confidence and hopefully that’s what he’s got.”

The win was Nigel Pearson’s first since he took charge of Watford at the start of the month and the head coach is determined to build on it. After taking on Sheffield United, Watford have a crucial home game against fellow strugglers Aston Villa and Hughes says Pearson will not let them take it easy leading into those matches.

“We are in every day [training over Christmas]. It is part of being a footballer,” said Hughes. “We have just got to get on with it. We are professionals at the end of the day.”