AKE PREFERS WATFORD STAY OVER CHELSEA RETURN

The Hornets are set to face the defender's parent club, Chelsea, on Boxing Day and he insists that he is not contemplating a quick return to Stamford Bridge in January
Watford defender Nathan Ake says he is enjoying his loan spell at Vicarage Road and insists that he is not eyeing an early return to Chelsea.

Ake joined the Hornets on a season-long loan deal from the Premier League champions in the summer and has since established himself as the club's first-choice left-back under manager Quique Sanchez Flores.

The 20-year-old scored the opener as Watford thumped Liverpool 3-0 on Sunday to climb to seventh in the Premier League, and Ake does not believe that interim Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink will look to recall him in January.

"I don't think because the manager has changed everyone who is out on loan is suddenly going to come back and play. It is down to yourself to develop and play well," he said.

"If you do that than if you go back next season [to Chelsea] you must perform. I just try and play my game and improve. That’s the most important game

"I had a good relationship with [Jose] Mourinho so it was a bit of a shock to hear he’d left. But we can’t do anything about, you just have to get on with things."

Watford will be looking to win five successive league games when they face Chelsea on Boxing Day.

However, Ake will be unavailable for the match as Premier League rules dictate that a loan player cannot play against his parent club, who have struggled in recent months and find themselves in 15th place in the Premier League.

"I think Chelsea are favourites to win the match," the Dutchman said. "They are still a top team. We will be the underdog and we will need to play well.

"Teams are taking us seriously now because we are doing really well. But we can't get too far ahead of ourselves. That is important."