Watford head coach Nigel Pearson has praised the attitude of defender Christian Kabasele after the player made his 100th appearance for the club.

The 29-year-old marked his century with a win over Newcastle United that could keep the Hornets in the top flight and his contribution to the challenge has not been insignificant.

This season has been far from positive for the Hornets, however without the Belgian things might look even worse.

Of the 11 league matches he has not played during the campaign, Watford have won just one, away at Bournemouth and drawn another, against Spurs at home. All the rest have seen the club on the end of defeats, meaning of the 34 points collected this season, Kabasele was present for 30.

Pearson believes it is the defender's willingness to learn, even as he approaches the back end of his career, that has made him such an important member of the squad.

"He's a really good athlete," said the head coach. "He's a player who wants to improve still and selection for me is about who I think is right to play.

"He's a player who has had to deal with his own injury problems over the years, and I like working with him. He's a player who wants to learn still and I think that's testament to a very professional attitude. He looks after himself incredibly well. He's one of the first players [at the training ground] and one of the last players to leave on most days as well and we need him, like we need everybody else, to bring their best games in these last few games."

In addition to the side winning more points with Kabasele in the team, they also concede fewer goals. In the 11 games he missed this season, Watford let in 27. In the 24 games he took part in, they conceded 26, two of which were at moments when he was not on the field.

His performances have seen him rewarded with a new contract this season and Pearson now wants to see him fighting hard to keep his place in the starting XI.

"I think the competition for places in the centre-back spot has been good this season and I think all of them have maybe spent some time where they've not been in the side," he said. "But that would be only because the lads that are in there have kept them out and that's something that I think is very important for a squad, if players know that they're playing well.

"If they've got the shirt, keep the shirt, that's the mentality and he's contributed to the team very well this year."