Preview: Watford vs Ipswich Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Watford play host to Ipswich Town on Tuesday evening with a chance to catapult themselves back into contention for promotion.

At a time when the Hornets sit in ninth position in the Championship table, they are just six points adrift of the fourth-placed visitors.

Match preview

While question marks remain associated with the appointment of Edward Still as head coach, Watford fans will have no complaints over his start to life at Vicarage Road.

Four points have been earned from an away fixture at Preston North End and Saturday's home encounter with Derby County, which they won by a 2-0 scoreline.

Overcoming the then sixth-placed side in the division ended an eight-match winless streak in all competitions.

Most notably, though, Watford are now within three points of the playoffs and just eight points adrift of third position with 13 matches remaining.

Despite their recent three-match winless streak at Vicarage Road, the victory over the Rams represented their ninth in 17 second-tier fixtures during 2025-26, leaving them with the fourth-best home record in the division.

© Imago / Sportpix

Meanwhile, Ipswich have earned just five wins from their 15 away fixtures, accumulating just 19 points in total.

A recent run of six victories from seven games in all competitions would have left Kieran McKenna optimistic of eventually breaking into the top two in the Championship.

However, just four points have come from as many matches, the Tractor Boys losing a 5-3 thriller at Wrexham on Saturday.

That extended a run without a clean sheet to five matches, while there is now an eight-point gap to second-placed Middlesbrough, albeit still with two matches in hand.

Although Ipswich have three successive Portman Road contests which follow this fixture, they desperately need to return to winning ways when Boro play host to Leicester City on the same night.

Watford Championship form:

Ipswich Town Championship form:

Ipswich Town form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Othmane Maamma is expected to miss out for Watford after his early withdrawal against Derby County.

Giorgi Chakvetadze should take the spot of the winger, but Mamadou Doumbia may be kept on the substitutes' bench despite his goal against the Rams.

With Kwadwo Baah having suffered an injury issue after his second-half introduction, the rest of the team may stay the same.

Meanwhile, McKenna is expected to freshen up his Ipswich XI after the eight-goal game with Wrexham.

Marcelino Nunez - after his recent return from injury - may get the nod over Anis Mehmeti, while Dan Neil and Kasey McAteer could also get starts in the engine room and on the flank respectively.

However, Jaden Philogene remains sidelined after the winger suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee injury.

Watford possible starting lineup:

Selvik; Ngakia, Abankwah, Goglichidze, Mfuni; Louza, Mendy; Irankunda, Kaymebe, Chakvetadze; Kjerrumgaard

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Walton; Furlong, O'Shea, Kipre, Davis; Matusiwa, Neil; McAteer, Nunez, Clarke; Azon

We say: Watford 1-2 Ipswich Town

Although Watford feel very much on the up under Still, they are facing opponents with one of the best squads in the Championship. Ipswich's ability to rotate may prove key here, leading us to predict a hard-fought triumph for the Tractor Boys.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.