Crystal Palace must watch out while a new-look Watford welcome Liverpool

Danny Murphy11 August 2017

Danny Murphy weighs up the start of the 2017-18 Premier League season for two London clubs...

You must be careful playing a newly promoted team on the opening day of the season.

When we went to Hull with Fulham at the start of the 2008-09 campaign, I must admit I thought it was a gimme.

I looked at their team sheet and thought: "You must be kidding." There seemed to be no way we would fail to beat them.

However, they were at it from the off. They had clearly worked hard in pre-season and were very fit and strong.

We lost in the closing stages when Paul Konchesky mis-hit a backpass, but we never deserved to win the game.

Andre Gray's arrival at Watford suggests Troy Deeney’s days at the club are numbered.

It would be no surprise to see Watford claw back some of the £18.5million they spent on Andre.

I have always liked Deeney. As a player, it is perhaps even more important to understand your weaknesses than it is to know your strengths, and Deeney plays brilliantly within his limitations. If he moves, he will do a good job for another club.

Gray could be a good signing. He is quick, strong and diligent and he did very well at Burnley.

I am impressed that he has made it to the top from non-League, despite some difficult times in his career.

The transfer fee might seem high but that is the going rate in the current market, especially for a forward.

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