We travel to Vicarage Road looking for a seventh consecutive away win in all competitions, and on paper a game against a team lying 20th in the Premier League who are yet to win would seem to be the easiest challenge so far.

However, Lampard is taking nothing for granted. This was his reply when asked at his press conference this afternoon if Watford’s league position and current form will make them more dangerous.

‘Without a doubt,’ he said. ‘I am very much of that mindset. First of all, I look at us and what we can do. Ever since we went on the winning run, which obviously ended in midweek, the game became more dangerous because of the idea of any overconfidence which I work against.

‘We must understand they are a team with quality. We saw what they did last year. We know the personnel are very similar to last year when they were getting big results, being a strong team, making the FA Cup final.

‘We cannot underestimate a team that will be hurting because they haven’t won for a while and will have every ambition to try and win this game. I have even more focus on what we need to do.

‘Every game is this league has huge challenges,’ added Lampard.

‘One of the challenges is they will be a bit wounded being bottom of the table, and the other is they are a good team.

‘The good thing about our winning run was that we dealt with challenges. We dealt with Burnley and their type of football, we dealt with Newcastle and how they came to the Bridge. Watford will be another test to show consistency.

‘That’s why I am not getting overexcited with the winning run. We have a long way to go.’

Latest injury news from Lampard

Lampard considered the selection dilemmas he has on the wings

‘Pulisic, Hudson-Odoi, Willian, Pedro - they are top-class players at different stages of their careers. They can give us a big input. It’s good. It keeps them on edge, and it gives me a problem, but it’s a good one to have.

‘I’ll go as I see it. We changed slightly in midweek, but I am not here to rotate for the sake of it. I understand players want momentum and want to play, and there’s not the pressure if you have one game below par you don’t play, it can’t be that extreme, but it’s just choices I have to make.’

Watford is the first of three big games before the final international break of the year

‘You can deal with blocks of games. I remember the feeling of dropping points against Sheffield United and going into the international break, and the difference between winning at Southampton and going into the international break.

‘We have had a good period, for sure, but that can be easily lost in these next three games. We must give every drop in this next week, try to get the three results, and then they can all go and do what they do.’

Lampard was also asked which of Fikayo Tomori and Callum Hudson-Odoi was quicker in the wake of a debate about their EA Sports FUT rating cards in FIFA 20

‘He [Tomori] is very fast. I remember FIFA cards when I was about 37 years of age and my pace was 35 so I was slower than my age! It was really strange so I take those rankings with a pinch of salt and so should Tomori. The best thing for him to do is show it in every game he plays which he has done so far. I’m not getting involved in those arguments!’