Javi Gracia has challenged Watford’s fringe players to take their chance as the squad gets stretched ahead of the visit of Cardiff and the hectic festive schedule.

The Hornets will be looking to build on Monday night’s 2-2 draw at Everton, which would have been a victory but for a stoppage-time equaliser from Lucas Digne.

However, they must do so without the likes of Andre Gray, Will Hughes, Adalberto Penaranda and Sebastian Prodl through injury while Etienne Capoue is still suspended.

Gracia, though, feels the selection poser also offers others an opportunity to stake their claim.

“I like to have all my players available, but in this case, even with two, three, four players out, we have enough players to play in the next game,” the Spaniard said.

“The squad is ready and some of them have been waiting for their chance for a long time. Maybe in the next games they will get their chances.

“We have to play a lot of games, so we must be patient and trust our players.”

Gracia offered no time-frame on a likely return for forward Gray, who sat out the trip to Goodison Park.

“He had a contusion in a training session on his fibula,” Gracia said at a press conference reported by the club.

“We have to wait in this moment, but he is out of the team for sure.

“I don’t know if he will be ready in a couple of weeks or a long time.”

Midfielder Tom Cleverley is available, having played for the under-23s, but will not be overloaded on his return after being out of action since the start of 2018 following a combination of hamstring and Achilles trouble.

“In this moment he needs to improve his condition, but I think he is close to coming back,” Gracia said. “He needs time, but he can play in the next games if I decide.”

Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, meanwhile, has spoken out in support of Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling.

The England international was on the end of alleged racist abuse from a section of Chelsea supporters during the Premier League game at Stamford Bridge and accused newspapers of helping to “fuel racism” with the way in which they portray young black footballers.

Frenchman Doucoure, who joined Watford from Rennes in February 2016, praised Sterling’s strength of character.

“Everyone supports him because it is of course a very important thing and he has been very courageous to speak about that,” Doucoure said in an interview with Sky Sports.

“Everyone has to fight against racism in football. We support him as a player and it is something every player feels bad about when you talk about racism.

“He woke up a lot of people, because now a lot of people speak about that.

“It is a hard topic, because it is not easy to say ‘you are racist’ or ‘you are not racist’, but you have to do what you have to do to fight against racism with a lot of positive energy.

“Everyone, more than (just in) football, has to fight against racism.”