Nigel Pearson has been sacked as Watford head coach with just two games of the Premier League season remaining.

The Hornets hierarchy have acted following Friday's 3-1 defeat at West Ham United which left the club three points above the relegation zone going into the final week of the season.

Craig Shakespeare has also been removed from his position as assistant coach and Hayden Mullins and Graham Stack will be in charge for the final matches of this season.

The two coaches took over earlier in the season following the sacking of Quique Sanchez Flores.

The Watford Observer has learnt that the squad were due to have a training session at 3pm this afternoon, but were instead called to a meeting with Gino Pozzo at 2.30pm and were told the news.

Club staff had not been forewarned ahead of Pozzo's announcement. No falling out is thought to have taken place between Pozzo and Pearson. Stack and Mullins subsequently took over the session. 

Pearson becomes the third head coach to be removed by Watford this season, joining Sanchez Flores and Javi Gracia.