Emmanuel Dennis (right) of Watford celebrates with teammate Cucho Hernandez on November 20, 2021 in Watford, England. Photo: IC

Emmanuel Dennis joined Watford this summer from Belgian side Club Brugge and the Nigerian forward has hit the ground running since arriving in the English Premier League. 

The 24-year-old found himself on the losing side last weekend when Watford traveled to Leicester City but still capped his performance with a goal, joining an illustrious club in the process.  

Dennis is one of only six players to have contributed five goals and five assists inside his first 12 games in the English Premier League along. 

He joins Eric Cantona, Jurgen Klinsmann, Arjen Robben, Andriy Arshavin and Bruno Fernandes in reaching that feat, though all but former Spurs striker Klinsmann did it in fewer games. Not that Watford fans will care. 

Their new star has been in fine form in his first few months, despite the team struggling to the point where they have already switched bosses this season. Dennis was the man of the match in the win over Everton, where he scored one goal and laid on another two in Watford's 5-2 win. 

Dennis has made himself at home in England, despite the obvious step up from Belgium. 

"It's really tough; the intensity is really high," Dennis told Watford's online program Inside The Hive on the club's YouTube channel. 

"But I'm a very fast player, I love running, so I'm finding it easy, but there are a lot of quality players. Most players want to be in the Premier League. I'm here and happy." 

He has found himself performing well under both of his Watford managers so far, Xisco Munoz and Claudio ­Ranieri, and he has warmed to the Italian.  

"[Ranieri] is an experienced manager and won the Premier League with a [Leicester City] team where it is difficult to win it," Dennis told Inside The Hive. 

"I was really happy he came here. I just listen to him; what he says, I follow. In training, he calls me '32 Touches.' I'm always on the ball having too many touches, but he's trying to make sure I do things the right way. 

The 24-year-old has shown his willingness to dribble, even if at times that has led to frustration from teammates as he hangs on to the ball longer than they would like. Ranieiri has been working on that with his talisman. 

He might be whipping up a storm but the 24-year-old is not without his nerves, he told Inside The Hive. 

"I get very, very nervous before every game. It doesn't matter if it's a big game or a small game, it's because I care, so I'm really nervous," said Dennis. 

"I just have to relax, come outside and then in the game, it's just about forgetting about anything and just play. 

"In the dressing room it's like I'm the clown because I'm always making people laugh. Sometimes when I say I'm nervous they don't believe me, but I'm really nervous before every game. But at the end of the day, I just forget about it and I just play." 

Dennis is certainly happy that he chose Watford out of his many options in the summer. 

"It's really important because you've just come and you want to play good," he said of his form. 

"It's very important for you, for the club, and it's just the only thing in your head, to help your team, which I'm doing and I'm really grateful. 

"I'm enjoying every bit of being here. From the first day, it's been love from the players and from everybody, so I'm really happy that I chose to come here, so I'm happy." 

His form has been a boon to the Hornets, who replaced Xisco with Ranieri in October, but that could yet prove to be a headache for the manager. 

Dennis only has three appearances for the Nigerian national team so far - all three of them from the bench - gaining international caps for Gernot Rohr's side against Brazil, Ukraine and Sierra Leone. There are growing calls from back home for the forward to play a bigger part for the Super Eagles in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, which runs from January 9 to February 6.  

His versatility, which was seen at Club Brugge, has seen him play on both wings, up front and as a support striker. This season he has already played in three different positions for Watford. Some at home want him to play ahead of former Watford and Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo, who his currently playing for Al-Shabab in Saudi Arabia. 

Dennis was also asked in his fan Q&A on The Hive if he fancied his chances against Ighalo in a game of one against one. 

"One versus one? I'd smoke him!" Dennis said, which shows his confidence, even if it is yet to be replicted by Rohr with a place in the Super Eagles starting linuep. 

While Watford may miss him early next year, they had more pressing concerns this week after Dennis went off injured in the defeat to Leicester, making him a doubt for the midweek trip to Chelsea. 

"With Dennis and Masina, I'm not sure at the moment," Ranieri said after the match. "Tomorrow we'll check everybody because Dennis came out and Masina didn't finish well," the manager told Watford's website. 

Watford certainly need Dennis' menace.