Watford will bounce back from Crystal Palace defeat – Nigel Pearson

Watford head coach Nigel Pearson is confident his players will to bounce back from Saturday’s disappointing result at Crystal Palace.

The Hornets started strongly at Selhurst Park, fresh from a 3-0 win over Premier League leaders Liverpool the weekend before, but suffered a 1-0 defeat with Jordan Ayew grabbing the only goal of the game.

Pearson’s side remain outside the relegation zone – although only on goal difference – but could drop into the bottom three were Aston Villa to beat Leicester on Monday night.

While frustrated at the loss to Palace, the former Leicester boss was encouraged by some of the signs he saw from his side.

“The players understand why we haven’t won and that is, we have not converted our chances,” Pearson said.

“When you look at our season overall, I am aware and the players are aware we have not picked up points from losing positions, but the intention was there and we were pushing.

“It is not through a lack of desire. I know we have goals in us and we are a competitive side and days like this are a frustration for us.

“The level of performance has been pretty good in terms of creating opportunities, having long spells – as an away side – where we have been on top and what we haven’t done is taken full advantage of that.

“Of course conceding a goal which we are disappointed with adds to the disappointment of the day, but we will bounce back.

“As I keep saying, our players are honest and committed to getting us out of the situation we are in and they have worked incredibly hard to get into the situation we are in because before Christmas it was looking grim.”

While Watford’s battle to beat the drop looks set to go to the wire, Palace can rest easy with the knowledge they are almost certainly going to spend a seventh-consecutive season in the top flight.

A third-straight 1-0 win for the Eagles moved them onto 39 points and, while still cautious, manager Roy Hodgson knows safety is close to being assured.

He said: “Well the fact is (to go from) 30 points to 39 is a fantastic lift and we’ve done it within three games and with nine games to play.

“I have such faith and confidence in this group of players and team that I cannot imagine they will let this go and we will start catapulting down the league and find ourselves once again in enormous relegation danger, but you do never know.

“It would be foolish of me to say that can’t happen or won’t happen because things happen in football that no one understands.

“No one expected Liverpool to be so many points ahead with nine games left to play so things happen, but it is in our hands and we have broken the back of our season.

“We have given ourselves a task now of needing to get a point a game to finish in a comfortable position and I am fully expecting the players to do that.”