Troy Deeney tells Watford players: Don’t sulk over Nigel Pearson sacking, it’s vital we now get stuck in

Fighting spirit: Troy Deeney
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Troy Deeney has told his Watford team-mates to “stand up and be counted” as they fight for their Premier League survival in the wake of Nigel Pearson’s sacking.

The 56-year-old was axed by Watford on Sunday with just two games to go and the club three points above the relegation places.

Pearson, who is still expected to receive a survival bonus if Watford stay in the Premier League, has been replaced by caretaker boss Hayden Mullins for tonight’s game against Manchester City and Sunday’s clash with Arsenal. The squad are having to come to terms with the shock change in management, but Deeney has said they cannot crumble under the pressure.

“It’s all about the characters,” said the captain. “It’s all about who wants to stand up and be counted and who wants to not fold under the pressure, because there is pressure that we can’t deny.

“We could sit around, sulk and feel sorry for ourselves and ‘woe is me’, but no one cares. We care about the match day, about results and that’s the business we’re in — the results business.”

Pearson’s sacking came in the wake of the 3-1 defeat by West Ham on Friday. After the match, rumours circulated on social media that a fight had erupted in the dressing room at half-time.

Deeney dismissed those claims, as well as speculation he is now set to take up a role as a player-coach.

“I don’t know where people get these stories from, because there’s even less people at the training ground now — but there’s more stories coming out,” Deeney told beIN Sports.

“I just want to put out there, there was no fight at half-time. It’s 2020. We don’t do that any more.

“Second of all, Troy will not be picking teams — because I’ve read that online as well. I’m player-coach, apparently. Anything else I’ve missed?”

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