Moyes claims Watford now 'have a very good chance of staying up'

David Moyes claims Watford now ‘have a very good chance of staying up’ in the Premier League with Roy Hodgson as their new manager ahead of his West Ham side’s clash with the relegation-threatened Hornets

  • West Ham United host Watford in the Premier League on Tuesday evening
  • Roy Hodgson has only recently taken charge of the struggling Hornets
  • Watford are just two points off the bottom inside the relegation zone
  • But West Ham boss David Moyes insists Hodgson is an excellent appointment 

David Moyes believes Roy Hodgson is one of perhaps only two managers who could keep Watford in the Premier League this season.

Speaking before the two teams meet on Tuesday night, the West Ham boss named Sam Allardyce as the other coach he would back to steer the Hornets out of trouble.

Hodgson, 74, recently replaced Claudio Ranieri at Vicarage Road, with Watford currently one place and one point from safety. 

West Ham boss David Moyes (above) has backed Roy Hodgson to keep Watford in the top flight

Moyes and West Ham host Watford on Tuesday having thrashed them 4-1 back in December

‘To have any level of success you have to have a huge love of the game and Roy has once again shown he has got that,’ Moyes said.

‘If anyone can keep Watford up, Roy would be the name I would pick. Big Sam would be another one.’

Moyes added: ‘It is strange but not strange that Roy is back in football because he is a brilliant football man, with his age I don’t know if I can do that because he seems like he is going on forever.

‘But he has a great passion and love of the game and a drive to stay on the training pitch. If anyone is good at it he is, he is very good with his organisation, his coaching and planning. So I think he gives Watford a very good chance of staying up.’ 

West Ham, who won 4-1 at Vicarage Road in December, face Watford following a last-gasp victory over Kidderminster Harriers in the FA Cup. 


Moyes insists Hodgson (left) and Sam Allardyce (right) were the best men to lead Watford

Declan Rice led their comeback against the non-League side and Moyes is tipping the midfielder to one day lead his country.

‘Dec’s a really young boy who is 23 years old and has made incredible strides as a player,’ Moyes said.

‘He should look at Harry Kane and Harry Maguire and all the senior players he is involved with in England and take as much from them as he can because in the future there is no doubt he has a great chance of going on to be a future England captain.’

Even a point could see West Ham move into the top four, with Moyes hoping his side can ‘keep hanging on to the shirttails of the teams above us’ until the end of the season.

Michail Antonio could return against Watford but Manuel Lanzini (achilles) and Arthur Masuaku (knee) are both struggling with injury.




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