Alan Pardew did not hang around. As soon as the final whistle blew he headed down the tunnel. Out of sight but, as far as the West Brom supporters here were concerned, not out of mind. “Alan Pardew, get out of our club,” they chanted having bellowed “You’re getting sacked in the morning” at the manager shortly after Troy Deeney had struck. The atmosphere was toxic and, for Pardew, the end feels increasingly near.

The 56-year-old arrived here with his job on the line and it is hard to see him still being in charge by the time Leicester arrive at The Hawthorns on Saturday. It is now one win in 15 Premier League games since he succeeded Tony Pulis in November with this the first time West Brom have suffered five successive league defeats since January 2011.

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They are stranded further in last place – eight points from safety with nine fixtures remaining – and after everything else that has happened, most notably the squad’s eventful jaunt to Barcelona and Chris Brunt’s row with Pardew following last week’s 2-1 loss to Huddersfield, change may be best for all involved.

That, ultimately, is a decision for West Brom’s owner, Guochuan Lai, and it is a decision he will have to make after Pardew once again made it clear he will not resign. He accepted losing his job was a potential consequence of the team’s slump but there was more defiance than deflation from the former Crystal Palace manager following a display which he described as committed and a huge improvement on the one his players delivered seven days ago.

Pardew was correct. While West Brom may have enjoyed less possession than Watford and created fewer chances, they were arguably the better side. Having been told by Brunt during that dressing-room row that 4-4-2 did not work, Pardew started the Northern Irishman in a 4-1‑4-1 formation through which the visitors displayed admirable organisation, resilience and dedication to the cause.

Operating as a left-sided central midfielder, Brunt was their best performer but there were other notable displays from those in blue and white. Ahmed Hegazi was solid at the back while Jake Livermore and Grzegorz Krychowiak worked hard to close down Watford’s midfielders. Out wide, meanwhile, Matt Phillips and Jay Rodriguez were a constant threat, while up front Salomón Rondón worked hard in an isolated role.

Ultimately, however, it is Rondón who may well have the biggest regrets regarding West Brom’s failure to secure at least a point. The Venezuelan spurned a number of chances to score, none more glaring than the header from Kieran Gibbs’s cross on 54 minutes that he sent wide of the post from a close-range, unmarked position.

It felt like a big moment and even more so after the final whistle, with Pardew not only ruing his side’s lack of ruthlessness in front of goal but also the moment on 71 minutes when Daryl Janmaat and Rodriguez collided as the latter attempted to meet Phillips’s cross.

Pardew was adamant Janmaat, who he briefly worked with at Newcastle, had fouled Rodriguez and, therefore, the referee, Paul Tierney, should have awarded his side a penalty.

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It was not to be and soon after Watford struck. Krychowiak lost possession to Will Hughes in midfield who in turn played a quick through pass to Deeney. The striker ran clear of West Brom’s backline and, having kept his cool, curled the ball past the onrushing Ben Foster and into the back of the net for his second winning goal in two games here.

Pardew described the goal as West Brom’s one mistake of a bitterly cold afternoon and it was certainly a cruel moment for the visitors given Watford had produced little threat before Deeney’s finish, with a shot from Stefano Okaka on 75 minutes that Gibbs cleared off the line the best they had offered.

Not that the home supporters cared. Having roared with delight in response to a goal that lifts them up to ninth, they turned their attention to the opposition manager. It soon spread to the away end and all Pardew could do was stand motionless and look on. His suffering may soon be over.

‘This is about West Brom, not me’

Alan Pardew has accepted his job as the West Brom manager is on the line following the 1-0 loss to Watford but has insisted he can still save the team from seemingly inevitable relegation.

It is now one win in 15 Premier League games for Pardew since he succeeded Tony Pulis in November with Albion having suffered five straight league defeats. They are bottom, eight points from safety and look increasingly doomed.

As does Pardew, who was nevertheless defiant here and made it clear that he expects to be in charge when Leicester visit The Hawthorns on Saturday.

“People turn this into a personal situation, but this is about West Brom, not me,” he said. “If the consequences are that I lose my job that is what it is. I just hope what we saw today will be enough.

“In terms of difference in performance this week from last week, it was a huge improvement. Today was a committed performance and unfortunately we have come out the wrong side.

“We have nine games to play and there are still a lot of points to play for. If we get a win that can change the dynamic, but when you look at our win and goals ratio you question that. So we have to try and get that win.”

There was sympathy for Pardew from Javi Gracia after he oversaw a third successive home win as Watford manager and one that lifts the team to ninth. “I respect Alan Pardew and wish him the best for the future,” said the Spaniard.