Ipswich Town head to Vicarage Road looking for a performance that settles the mood and reminds everyone why they’ve been in the promotion conversation all season.
The defeat at Wrexham was chaotic and uncharacteristic, but Kieran McKenna’s side has shown enough resilience over the past two years to treat it as a one‑off rather than a trend.
Watford, under Edward Still, sit in that awkward mid‑table space where they’re not threatening the top six but remain dangerous enough to spoil anyone’s afternoon.
They’re physical, unpredictable, and capable of dragging games into uncomfortable territory.
For Ipswich, this is the sort of away day that could define a season.
Ipswich haven’t lost any of the last five meetings, taking three wins and two draws. They’ve handled Watford’s physical edge well over the years, especially away from home, and those tight margins have often tilted in Town’s favour.
Kieran McKenna comes into this one as the more seasoned Championship head coach, and it shows in the way he handles the bumps in the road.
He doesn’t get swept up in the noise after a bad result, and he doesn’t start tearing up the blueprint just because of one wild afternoon.
The players trust him because he’s been through this league’s grind before the midwinter dips, the pressure games, the awkward away days, and he never loses his sense of direction.
McKenna won’t be looking for grand gestures here; he’ll want Ipswich to get back to their habits, their tempo, and the calmness that’s carried them this far.
Edward Still is an interesting contrast. He’s clearly a talented coach with fresh ideas, but he’s still learning the rhythms of the Championship, and this league doesn’t give you much time to breathe.
You can see what he’s trying to build at Watford: structure, discipline, and a side that’s hard to break down. When it clicks, they look organised and purposeful.
But Still is still finding his feet at this level. Watford can look sharp one week and flat the next, and that inconsistency is exactly why they’re stuck in mid‑table.
What he does bring, though, is a willingness to disrupt.
He’ll know Ipswich want control; his job is to drag the game into the kind of scrappy, unpredictable contest that suits Watford’s strengths.
Ipswich sit 4th on 54 points (P30, W15, D8, L7). Their last five league results show the full range:
Watford are 9th with 48 points (P33, W12, D12, L9). Their recent run includes:
Both sides are expected to line up in a 4‑2‑3‑1, but the way they use the shape couldn’t be more different.
Ipswich’s 4‑2‑3‑1 is built on control. The double pivot gives them a platform to play, letting the three behind the striker drift, rotate and create overloads.
Under McKenna, the system becomes fluid, full‑backs push high, the No.10 drops into pockets, and the wingers come inside to combine. It’s a shape designed to dictate the rhythm rather than react to it.
Watford’s 4‑2‑3‑1 is far more direct. Their double pivot is there to break things up, win second balls, and release their wide players quickly.
They don’t want long spells of possession; they want moments, turnovers, loose touches, transitions. When they get those, they can be dangerous.
Christian Walton; Darnell Furlong, Dara O’Shea (C), Cedric Kipré, Leif Davis; Azor Matusiwa, Dan Neil; Kasey McAteer, Anis Mehmeti, Jack Clarke; Ivan Azon
Injuries: Conor Townsend (ACL), Ashley Young (muscle), Jaden Philogene (MCL)
Egil Selvik; Jeremy Ngakia, James Abankwah, Saba Goglichidze, Stephen Mfuni; Imran Louza, Nampalys Mendy; Nestory Irankunda, Edo Kayembe, Othmane Maamma; Luca Kjerrumgaard
Injuries/Suspensions: Hector Kyprianou (hand), Pierre Dwomoh (thigh), Rocco Vata (hamstring)
Ipswich have the quality to take control of this game, but they’ll need to be far more disciplined than they were at Wrexham.
Watford will make it physical and awkward, yet Town’s movement and creativity in wide areas should give them the edge.
Prediction: Watford 1–2 Ipswich Town
