Andre Gray: Watford got 'battered' but FA Cup final must not detract from club's best season

Andre Gray admitted that Watford were “blown away” by Manchester City’s attacking quality as they suffered the heaviest FA Cup final defeat in more than a century.

City’s 6-0 victory at Wembley was the biggest win in the final of the competition since Bury beat Derby by the same scoreline in 1903.

Gray, the Watford striker, said the players now just want to forget about the chastening end to an otherwise excellent campaign under Javi Gracia.

“We are all disappointed,” said Gray. “It is hard to put into words. We got battered in the end. The scoreline does not lie.

“There is nothing for anyone to say. Everyone knows we got battered. We lost to a better team. Fortunately we have now got the summer and pre-season. There is a lot of time to dust ourselves down and forget about it.

“We are professionals, we want to be better next season, learn from this and move on.”

The defeat in their first FA Cup final since 1984 will not detract from Watford's achievements this season, which included a record points tally in the Premier League.

Asked if he would ever be able to watch the game again, Gray said: “I don’t think so. We got blown away today. We just want to forget about it.

“Look, it has been the best season in the club’s history. We deserved to be here. So did City. We have been two of the best teams in the FA Cup, but we have come up short.”

Watford had started well but never looked like troubling City after conceding the opening goal, scored by David Silva, after 26 minutes.

“We know how far ahead of us they are,” Gray said. “We know that. It’s not rocket science to see that. We just need to try and step up and push on from there next season.”

Gracia said it was a “step forward” for the club to have reached the final of the competition, adding that it was proof of their “promise” ahead of the new season.

Watford’s defeat means that Wolves have qualified for next season’s Europa League, their first taste of European football since 1980. Wolves finished seventh in the Premier League but would have been denied a place in Europe if Watford won the A Cup.

Wolves will start their Europa League campaign in the competition’s second qualifying round, which starts on July 25, only five days after Nuno Espirito Santo’s side play their final game in the Asia Trophy in China. The third qualifying round begins on August 8, only two days before the start of the Premier League campaign.