Watford manager Walter Mazzarri has not given up on Odion Ighalo despite the striker netting once in his last seven matches in the English top-flight.

In the first half of last season, the Nigeria international was a threat to defenders and was linked with a host of clubs in England and abroad in the winter transfer market on the back of that form, but he struggled to replicate his performance in the second stanza.

The Italian manager acknowledged that Ighalo is going through a dry spell and has praised him for his work ethic.

“He still has confidence because we as a team have confidence in him, ” Mazzarri told reporters.

“They are periods where players are more in form than others. But we believe in him and it is just a matter of him scoring.

“Mainly what I ask from my forwards is not to score but to play well. ”

Ighalo, 27, returned to the United Kingdom on Tuesday after his trip to Ekpoma for the burial of his late father, which kept him out of the Super Eagles World Cup qualifier against Zambia.

Igho Kingsley