MX23RW : Friday, November 22 06:15:59| >> :600:159222:159222:
[monks data]
Watford logo
Championship
Apr 19, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Ipswich logo

3-1

Riera (21'), Angella (63'), McGugan (65')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Preview: Watford vs. Ipswich Town

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship clash between Watford and playoff-chasing Ipswich at Vicarage Road.

Ipswich Town will know exactly what is needed of them by the time they travel to Vicarage Road to take on Watford this Saturday.

With the playoff race hotting up, the Tractor Boys play a day later than the rest of their top-six rivals, with Wigan Athletic, Reading, Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth all in action on Good Friday.

Whether that will prove to be a bonus or a burden remains to be seen, but should any slip-ups occur on Friday then Ipswich will need to take full advantage.

They are currently only out of the top six on goal difference, level on points with both Reading and Brighton, and with four games remaining of the season there is very little room for error.

A crucial encounter with Bournemouth is next up for Mick McCarthy's side on Monday, before a tricky away day against Burnley and the season finale at home to Sheffield Wednesday. It is not an easy run-in for Ipswich, then, which places even more emphasis on Saturday's match.

They go into the game in good form having lost just one and won four of their last six matches, with an 86th-minute winner handing them three vital points in their 2-1 victory over Doncaster Rovers last weekend.

They have also improved away from home within the last month or so, winning three of their last four matches on the road and keeping three clean sheets in the process.

However, their record against Watford in recent times leaves a lot to be desired. They have failed to beat the Hornets in 17 of their last 18 meetings in all competitions.

McCarthy will still be without David McGoldrick as he undergoes surgery on his knee today, Sylvain Ebanks-Blake is also out. Aaron Cresswell, however, should be fit to start having overcome a groin problem.

Watford, meanwhile, are still mathematically in with a shout of the playoffs this season, but with such a competitive race shaping up it is highly unlikely that they will join it at this stage of the campaign.

They are currently seven points behind sixth-placed Reading and have an impressive goal difference in their favour, as well as a game in hand that could lift them up to 60 points if they can take advantage.

However, if they are to make a late charge for the playoffs then they would have to be almost perfect in their remaining five matches - an unlikely scenario considering that they have not won more than three games in a row all season.

A five-match unbeaten streak coming into this game suggests that they are finding form at the right time, but three of those games have ended all square, including a disappointing 2-2 draw with struggling Millwall in their last outing.

Their home form is very impressive, however, having gone nine games without a defeat at Vicarage Road in all competitions. The last eight of those matches have come in the Championship and have included no less than six clean sheets.

Manager Giuseppe Sannino has a relatively injury-free squad to choose from, with Cristian Battocchio the only doubt for Saturday's game.

Recent form

Watford: LDWDWD

Ipswich: WWDLWW

Possible starting lineups

Watford: Almunia; Hoban, Angella, Ekstrand; Anya, McGugan, Faraoni, Tozser, Murray; Deeney, Forestieri

Ipswich: Gerken; Chambers, Berra, Smith, Mings; Anderson, Skuse, Hyam, Nouble; Williams; Murphy

Sports Mole says: 1-1


ID:150352: cacheID:150352:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5706:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy looks on during his team's Championship match against Millwall on January 18, 2014
Read Next:
Preview: Ipswich vs. Doncaster
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
1.15am
Steelers
@
Browns
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland1594225111431
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1510321971231
3Leeds UnitedLeeds158522491529
4Burnley157621861227
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom15672169725
6Watford158162322125
7Middlesbrough157352317624
8Millwall156541813523
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City155732019122
11Swansea CitySwansea155461110119
12Derby CountyDerby155461919019
13Stoke CityStoke155461819-119
14Norwich CityNorwich154652322118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds155371725-818
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd154561718-117
17Coventry CityCoventry154472021-116
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth154471526-1116
19Hull City153661620-415
20Preston North EndPreston153661523-815
21Luton TownLuton154381726-915
22Cardiff CityCardiff154381423-915
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR151771225-1310


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!