FIRST-CLASS ISMAILA IS READY TO DELIVER

Sarr takes the lion’s share of knocks – but all that matters is promotion to the Prem

heads for Middlesbrough, with the Golden Boys going for a remarkable 11th win in 12 games, admitting he owed it to the supporters to stick around.

He said: “I think they were just rumours because I am enjoying it here. I am only focused on

Watford and I want to stay.

“The Championship is not the same – we play every two or three days, so the intensity is different, but we are all working hard to get back in the Premier League.”

Sarr was sensational and scored twice, harpooning Liverpool’s 44-match unbeaten run in the top flight, the last time Vicarage Road was full – in February last year. Watford went down with no fans in the stadium and now they are on course to complete the return journey behind closed doors.

With supporters expected to be readmitted from the start of next season, it’s almost as if relegation was just a bad dream.

But Sarr never asked to leave and the fans respect him for it.

He said: “It is very important because the fans have made many sacrifices to follow us, so all we can do is to give them something in return, which hopefully means going up and enjoying the moment. “Supporters give you that extra push to win the game and we have missed them, so we have to keep pushing so they can be proud of their team when they are back.

“But they will understand there are no easy games, especially at this stage of the season when every one is like a final.”

The country’s most in-form team could narrow the gap on leaders Norwich to just three points if they abscond from Teesside with the loot.

But Sarr, 23, is not daydreaming of the title, and added: “I don’t think about that because the main goal is to go up.

“Whether we win the title or not, that’s not important now. We have to keep working and win more points – first place is not an obsession.”