Watford manager Nigel Pearson has said that his team must play with a high workrate through their remaining games in order to preserve their Premier League status. The Hornets have struggled for form since the league’s resumption after the coronavirus break and they recently succumbed to a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Chelsea.

As a result, they have not managed to make much progress above the drop zone and they have a slender one-point advantage with five matches to play. Speaking after the Blues’ defeat, Pearson said that he was impressed with the organisation of his players on the night and they tried to make it difficult for the west London giants.

Although the Hornets were on the losing end, Pearson said that there was a good work ethic in the display and he wants more of the same in the battle for top-flight survival, he told Sky Sports: “I thought we played with discipline. I just said to the players, sometimes it’s hard when you have got players who would normally contribute in a different way, that are having to work hard for the team to make it difficult for opponents.
“It is important for us to now to recognise what is the best chance we have of winning games, and it’s the work ethic we showed tonight. We are having to play our way back into nick. Time is not on our side but we have to be brave enough and want the ball. It wasn’t our night and we conceded at times when it takes courage to come back into the game. The second half performance was one we can build on.”
The Hornets have picked up only five points from the previous 10 league matches and that includes the shock 3-0 victory over Liverpool at home. In the final five games, two of them are against teams in and around them on the table. They are scheduled to host bottom club Norwich City in midweek and Pearson would expect nothing less than a victory.