Nigel Pearson is the right man to lead Watford away from the relegation zone according to Crystal Palace's Roy Hodgosn.

Pearson was appointed Hornets manager on a deal until the end of the season on Friday and watched from the stands as his new side played out a goalless draw at Vicarage Road.

The point did little for the hosts' survival chances and they remain bottom, but it did end a run of three consecutive defeats.

Your Local Guardian:

Eagles boss Hodgson was pleased to secure a third clean sheet in seven days and believes the former Leicester chief can turn around the fortunes of the Hertfordshire outfit.

"I know Nigel well and I'm an admirer of his. He organises teams very well and gets his teams playing in a very disciplined and organised way. I think he has the right type of players for that," he said.

"Watford were a good team last year and I don't think they are anything other than a good team this year as well, but football and momentum does strange things to you.

"You get a few bad results and suddenly confidence goes a little and people don't do what they did the year before and everything looks different to what it should, because these are the same players who did well last year.

"They have 25 senior players who are regulars in the Premier League, so he comes into a good set-up.

"I expect him to do what he does, which is to produce good teams. I would expect Watford to be climbing the table."