Pearson’s future looks gloomy after poor run

WATFORD manager Nigel Pearson says he has ‘an agreement’ with the club over his future but there is a growing belief he will not be in charge next season.

In December, Pearson replaced Quique Sanchez Flores with Watford nine points adrift at the bottom of the Premier League.

But a run of four wins in his first seven matches, including Liverpool’s first defeat of the season, has been followed by only two victories since the restart.

Friday night’s humiliation at relegation rivals West Ham means they need a win from remaining matches against Manchester City and

Arsenal to be certain of avoiding the drop.

Pearson worked similar escape acts at Leicester in 2015 and was assistant to Bryan Robson when West Brom survived on the final day in 2005 and knows this test is just as great.

He said: ‘As players and staff we are in this together so I’m not going to be overly critical on an individual level. The players know themselves. The West Ham match was very disappointing and now we have to find a win in our last two games. It is fairly straightforward.’

Ahead of Tuesday’s match against City, midfielder Will Hughes said: ‘We have conceded first in every game since lockdown and it is all good talking about it and how we can’t do it in the next game, but we have to do it on the pitch.

‘The gaffer gave us a good telling off, but we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. He told us to keep our heads up. We can be down after the West Ham match but we have to be back up by Tuesday.’