Next Watford manager: Candidates to replace sacked Nigel Pearson as club fights for Premier League survival

Pearson was dismissed despite Watford sitting above the Premier League relegation zone with two games left to play – so who could be the fourth manager to be appointed at Vicarage Road this season?

Watford have sacked their manager for the third time this season after Nigel Pearson was relieved of his duties on Sunday.

The 56-year-old was surprisingly dismissed on Sunday afternoon, despite Watford currently on course to remain in the Premier League as they sit three points above the relegation zone with matches against Arsenal and Manchester City left to play, and follows Javi Gracia and Quique Sanchez Flores out the Vicarage Road door since the start of the 2019/20 campaign.

The former Leicester City manager lifted the club off the bottom of the Premier League table when they were seven points adrift from safety to give them a fighting chance of avoiding the drop, but that rejuvenation has been cut short with his immediate removal as manager, which the club confirmed on Sunday evening.

A deteriorating relationship with the club owners resulted in Pearson being dismissed along with his head coach Craig Shakespeare, with Under-23s manager Hayden Mullins installed as temporary manager once again this season alongside coach Graham Stack.

Confirming the news on Sunday evening, a Watford statement read: “Watford FC confirms that Nigel Pearson has left the club with immediate effect.

“Hayden Mullins, with Graham Stack as his assistant, will take up the position of interim head coach for the Hornets’ final two Premier League fixtures of the 2019/20 season.

“There will be no further club comment.”

Here, we look at who could replace Pearson as the next permanent Watford manager once the season is complete.

Chris Hughton

The former Republic of Ireland defender would crop up on most English clubs' wanted list right now. Hughton did a fine job steering Brighton to and keeping the Seagulls in the Premier League. The south coast outfit replaced Hughton with Graham Potter ahead of the current campaign in a bid to move to a more expansive game plan. Hughton remains highly respected within the game for both his coaching acumen and his professional demeanour. The 61-year-old could, however, be put off by Watford's short-termism, which would on the surface appear at odds with his usually measured views on the game.

Marcelino Garcia Toral

Former Valencia and Villarreal boss Marcelino has been out of work since September 2019, when his time at the Mestalla Stadium came to an end. He did lead Valencia to the 2019 Copa del Rey title with a 2-1 win over Barcelona, however, and will clearly be highlighting that to prospective employers. Watford have been no stranger to recruiting European managers, and Marcelino certainly fits the mould of a number of previous Vicarage Road appointments.

Walter Mazzarri

Quique Sanchez Flores' return for a second spell at the Hertfordshire club underlines the owners' readiness to resurrect prior relationships. Mazzarri managed Sampdoria, Napoli and Inter before his solitary season at Vicarage Road in 2016/17. The Italian kept Watford in the top flight despite departing after just one campaign at the helm and could be in the frame for a return now.

Alan Pardew

Pardew is eager for work after a short-lived spell at ADO Den Haag in Holland. The 58-year-old's battle to keep the club in the Eredivisie was cut short by the coronavirus shutdown, although the cancellation of the Dutch campaign also brought with it a scrapping of any relegation. The former Newcastle, Crystal Palace and West Brom boss doubtless left Holland with unfinished business, especially in light of just one win in eight matches. So any opportunity to reassert his Premier League credentials would be welcomed.

Additional reporting by PA