Nigel Pearson insists Watford’s crushing 3-0 win at fellow strugglers Bournemouth is far from being a season-changing result.
The Hornets continued their recent resurgence in emphatic fashion to climb out of the Premier League relegation zone for the first time this campaign.
Goals from Abdoulaye Doucoure, Troy Deeney and Roberto Pereyra made it 13 points from a possible 18 since the arrival of manager Pearson, while condemning the 19th-placed Cherries to a ninth defeat from 11 games.
“There are so many games left I think it would be foolish to think that just because we have got out of the bottom three that the job is done,” said Pearson.
“It’s a great result but we have to keep our focus here on in.
“It’s not a season-changing result but it’s an important one, especially in the context of our own situation.
“There is an awful long way to go. I think what it does, it quantifies the work the players have put in over the last few games.
“I think the players have shown incredible commitment today and have done over the last few weeks and I’m very pleased that that is the case.
“But I’m not naive enough to think that we are anywhere near concluding what we set out to do. We’ve got a lot of work to do but we’ve given ourselves a better chance.”
Midfielder Doucoure capitalised on an error by stand-in Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers to give the visitors a 42nd-minute lead at the Vitality Stadium.
Captain Deeney smashed home with 25 minutes to go before substitute Pereyra added an injury-time third.
Watford’s travelling fans chanted Pearson’s name for much of the second half, while also celebrating the life of club great Graham Taylor.
Sunday marked the third anniversary of Taylor’s death and Pearson believes the former Hornets boss would have been proud of Sunday’s performance.
“You’ve got to remember the status of Graham Taylor at this football club, it’s huge,” said Pearson.
“If that’s something that gives the fans an awful lot of pleasure, I think that’s something else that the players can be proud of today.
“I’m sure he would be proud of that sort of performance, for sure, because it showed a lot of grit and determination as well as ability.”
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe admits his side are suffering a crisis of confidence after their alarming slump continued.
Howe’s men contributed to their own downfall, with Travers – playing in place of the injured Aaron Ramsdale – gifting possession to the Hornets in the build-up to Doucare’s opener.
“There wasn’t a lot in it, but I think the goal seemed to give them a lift them and seemed to deflate us and we never recovered from that moment,” said Howe, whose team were jeered off at full-time.
“We just didn’t execute what we wanted correctly. It happens, but at such a key moment of the game and a key game, it’s ultimately hurt us.
“Confidence is such an important thing to any team and it just felt it was lacking from that goal onwards, it seemed to dent us.
“We can only regroup, learn from what we’ve delivered, analyse the game properly and improve. We need to rediscover our belief in the team, for me that’s the only thing missing because we’ve got good players.
“With the run we’ve been on, it’s just damaged us a little bit and I think that’s the big challenge we face.
“I don’t doubt the players’ quality because they’ve proved and delivered it before.”
