Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson does not think that Gianfranco Zola would have allowed his side to dwell on missing out on automatic promotion.

Watford lost to Leeds United to miss out on automatic promotion to the Premier League, but ahead of the playoff semi-final match at the King Power Stadium, Pearson says that Watford will come out firing on Thursday evening.

The 49-year-old told reporters: "I think Gianfranco will be quite balanced with his views on what happened.

"Perhaps it is natural that there will be an element of disappointment that they didn't go up automatically, but I don't think they were favourites to do that anyway heading into the final game.

"Gianfranco will know that, he is a realist. They have had a really good season and if he needs to pick up his players, I'm sure he will do that."

Leicester secured their place in the playoffs with a late goal against Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season.