Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini says people in England underestimate how good a manager Quique Sanchez Flores is.

The Spaniard, who has coached Valencia and Atletico Madrid, took charge at Vicarage Road in the summer and has helped the Hornets to ninth in the Premier League table after 20 games.

But while Watford’s impressive form has come as a surprise to many this season, Pellegrini isn’t shocked.

“I am not surprised because I have faced Quique’s teams a lot of times,” the City boss said.

“He has done well with many teams and I think people in England underestimate just how good a manager he is.

“He is someone who always wants his teams to play good football and he is having a fantastic season here at Watford.

“Quique’s teams are very organised and they are hard to play against. They were not expected to be in the position they are in and it was very difficult for us to beat them.

“But I am very happy for him and I hope to can keep on being successful at Watford.”