Roy Hodgson knows Watford have it all to do to avoid relegation

Roy Hodgson insists Watford still have cause to believe they can escape Premier League relegation following a damaging 3-0 defeat to Leeds but admits they have no reason to feel confident of doing so.

The second-bottom Hornets slipped six points from safety following a ninth successive home loss which manager Hodgson termed “harsh”.

Raphinha’s first-half strike set Leeds on course to move nine points clear of the drop zone before calamitous home defending helped Rodrigo and Jack Harrison kill off the game at Vicarage Road.

Hodgson has now lost seven of 11 games since succeeding Claudio Ranieri in January and faces a major salvage operation to prevent the club’s immediate return to the Championship.

“I’ve never used the word confident; I don’t want to set myself up for headlines or statements which I can’t identify with,” replied Hodgson when asked about survival hopes.

“We have no reason to be confident. We do have reason to believe, we do have reason to have faith, we do have reason to think that we aren’t that bad and results are still a distinct possibility for us – we’ll keep doing that for sure.

“But to suggest that by saying that I’m now saying: ‘I am confident’ (is not true).”

Watford’s day began badly with news that fellow strugglers Everton had registered a surprise 1-0 win over Manchester United in the lunchtime kick-off.

Their position could become even more perilous by the end of the weekend with rock-bottom Norwich due to host 18th-placed Burnley on Sunday.

“I don’t think anyone at Norwich or Burnley will be saying that; I don’t even think Everton will be saying ‘we are confident’,” he continued.

“But what Everton have got today and what Leeds have now got in the last four games, they’ve got results and