Why survival expert Roy Hodgson is perfect for the Watford rescue mission

Renowned for making his sides hard to beat, Roy Hodgson has built a reputation as a survival expert — but the 74-year-old has his work cut out to save Watford from relegation.

Hodgson has agreed to a remarkable return to management on a mission to rescue a side that sits 19th in the table, managed only two wins in 14 matches under Claudio Ranieri and has so far failed to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League this season.

Friday’s abject 3-0 home defeat to relegation rivals Norwich proved the final straw for owner Gino Pozzo and also highlighted the size of the job Hodgson has on his hands.

Watford are onto their third manager of a season that started with Xisco Munoz in charge and, unless Hodgson can turn things around, could end with them back in the Championship.

In Hodgson, Watford hope they have the perfect man to steady the ship and guide them to safety.

Their first priority must be to plug a leaky defence that has shipped 40 goals in 20 matches in the League this season.

Defensive solidity was key to Hodgson’s success at Crystal Palace, where players were drilled to within an inch of their lives on the training ground to give the team a proper structure. His training methods are meticulous, but they are certainly effective. His style is not eye-catching, but gets results.

Palace had lost their first four games of the season when he took over from Frank de Boer in 2017. After a slow start, it was not long before there were specific signs of his influence on the team and, in a rigid 4-4-2 formation, they survived comfortably and finished 11th.

Hodgson also worked wonders at Fulham, who were struggling and in the relegation zone when he took over a week before Christmas 2007. They finished the season with four wins