Alan Pardew stands up for 'outstanding' Watford manager Quique Flores

Alan Pardew has defended the “outstanding” Quique Sanchez Flores’ record at Watford amid increasing speculation about the manager’s position.

In his first season in England, Spaniard Sanchez Flores has impressively organised an overhauled squad which he has inspired to the brink of another season of Premier League football and led to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where they will tomorrow meet Pardew’s Crystal Palace at Wembley.

A run of just three league victories in 2016, however, has proved disappointing, considering they were previously challenging for the top six, and speculation continues to grow that the Pozzo family, Watford’s owners, are ready to make another managerial change.