Neil Redfearn has praised the influence of Rodolph Austin on his side after the midfielder scored "one of the goals of the season" against Watford on Saturday.

Austin netted the 10th goal of his United career with a stunning first-half strike which looped over Heurelho Gomes and into the top corner to make it 2-0.

But Watford managed to hit back and eventually ran out 3-2 winners at Elland Road courtesy of a Troy Deeney strike and a Matej Vydra double.

Austin has been a regular fixture in the United side in recent weeks, missing just one game in 2015 so far, but the Jamaican limped straight down the tunnel after being replaced by Adryan after 73 minutes of Saturday’s game.

Redfearn said: "He’s got a slight strain, I think it’s a bit of tiredness as well, but he put a real shift in on Saturday.

"It was a fantastic goal he scored from a really difficult angle.

"He epitomises everything that’s good in the game. He works hard, he gives you his maximum every game.

"He’s been a real feature for us recently."

Gomes was caught out for Billy Sharp’s sixth-minute opener at Elland Road, but Redfearn felt the Watford goalkeeper was helpless for Austin’s effort.

"I don’t think the keeper’s angles were that bad, I think it was just such a well-struck shot," he said.

"It was dipping with pace, it must be one of the goals of the season."

Steve Morison missed the Watford defeat after picking up a groin strain in the midweek loss at Brighton, meaning Sharp was recalled up front, and Redfearn will monitor the former Millwall striker’s fitness ahead of Ipswich Town’s visit on Wednesday.

Asked if Morison could be back in contention, the head coach replied: "We’ll have to see. We were hoping he was going to be fit for Saturday but he still felt it a little bit.

"We’ll have to see how he feels on Monday, but I thought Billy Sharp was excellent.

"I thought he led the line well and he took his goal well. He did his talking on the pitch where you want him to do it."

Redfearn admitted his disappointment at seeing his side surrender their early two-goal lead, but the head coach was encouraged by United’s threat in front of goal.

"I’m not knocking what we’ve done or what we’re doing because, up to this point, we’ve done well," he said.

"We played well at times on Saturday and I think it will get masked because of the result and the manner of the result.

"But we played some good stuff, we created a lot of chances and looked like scoring.

"The disappointment is that we’ve got to defend better because you’re expecting individuals to make better decisions."