Reports | Watford set to sack Nigel Pearson with two games left in season
Relegation threatened Watford are set to sack Nigel Pearson, their third manager of the season, with the Hornets just three points above the relegation zone. The former Leicester City boss replaced Javi Garcia in December but has struggled to get performances out of his players since the restart.
Watfordās run to the FA Cup final last season saw many forget that the Hornets struggled to maintain consistency for large parts of the season. They were on par to finish in a top seven spot but issues with form and various other problems saw them drop from seventh to eleventh in the final ten odd games of the season. Not only that, but they were also beaten soundly by Manchester City as the game ended with the Hornets conceding six goals.
They continued that run of form this season with the Hornets starting the season on an 11 game winless run. That saw Javi Garcia sacked four games into the season with Quique Sanchez Florez appointed as their replacement but he was sacked less than nine games later. His replacement was Nigel Pearson and the former Foxes boss has played a key role in getting the club out of the relegation zone.
However, the BBC and various other sources have reported that Pearson and assistant manager Craig Shakespeare have been sacked by the club with two games left. The BBC has reported that U-23 Watford coach Hayden Mullins will take over the first team job for the time being with the decision shocking many. That is especially since Pearson took over, the 56-year-old has won more points than the likes of Leicester City, Newcastle United and a host of other sides.
However, there has been no official confirmation by the Hornets as of yet and the former Derby County and Hull City boss has already revealed that he wanted to stay at the club and honor his current deal with them. Pearson did that only last week and in a pre-match interview, he revealed that he, and Shakespeare, would like to stay until the end of their contract which expires at the end of this season.
"We discussed this right back when the lockdown started because it was important to clarify that there was a commitment to do the job. Both Craig and myself, when we joined, our intention was to do what we can this year to retain our status and then go from there. I've really enjoyed working here and yeah I would love to stay if the circumstances are right and all parties are in agreement," Pearson told Sky Sports.