Fulham 1-1 Watford: 5 Hits and Flops, Premier League 2018/19

#1 Hit: Will Hughes

Hughes balanced his creative instincts with defensive responsibilities well

It was a real surprise that Gracia was taking off Hughes, not Pereyra, after 70 minutes on the clock. After all, he'd been Watford's best player in a match they were still winning up to this point - having balanced his creative instincts with his defensive responsibilities well.

It was his deft pass into Gray's path which created the Hornets' opener, and he continued to produce intricate moments like these in attempts to add to their lead as the match progressed.

Crucially though, he didn't shy away from defending out of possession either. It's something that has been a criticism of his game, though the 23-year-old was embracing his free-roam role here, making two tackles, two clearances and three important interceptions at times when Fulham were beginning to fashion their own chances in the box.

If not for his intervention to thwart Luciano Vietto seconds before being replaced, the Cottagers could have easily stolen all three points. It was the type of unselfish performance that often goes unnoticed, particularly because on the surface, credit immediately goes the way of goalscorers in matches like these.

However, Hughes has shown great maturity and progression recently, so it's no surprise that he is earning his starting berth in midfield after an initial difficult period following his £8m move from Derby last summer. Displays like these justify why he was such a highly-rated youngster when he broke through in his teenage years.