Preview: Watford vs Coventry City - prediction, team news, lineups

Championship winners Coventry City will wrap up a memorable campaign with a trip to Vicarage Road for Saturday's meeting with Watford.

The Sky Blues will be looking to sign off by claiming their 28th league win of the season, while 16th-placed Watford will be looking to end their six-game winless run.

Match preview

Watford are on course for a bottom-half finish after their gamble to appoint Ed Still in February failed to pay off.

Still took over when the team were in 12th place and just three points adrift from the playoffs, but they have since slipped down to 16th and are 13 points away from the top six after winning just three of the 35-year-old's 14 games in charge (D4, L7).

In fact, Still's side are winless in seven matches and have lost each of their previous four games, including heavy defeats in their last two away outings.

The Hornets conceded three without reply against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns, before they slumped to a demoralising 5-1 loss away to promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough last time out.

As a result of their poor form, Watford are expected to part ways with Still this summer, despite the fact he only signed a two-and-a-half-year deal in February.

Before he departs, Still will attempt to lead the club to their first victory over Coventry City since they recorded a 3-2 win at Vicarage Road in November 2020.

Coventry are set to bring the curtain down on what has been a special season that has seen them complete their journey back to the Premier League.

Eight years after playing in League Two, Coventry secured promotion with a 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers on April 17, before they clinched the title with a dominant 5-1 victory over Portsmouth.

Despite achieving their objectives, Frank Lampard's side refused to take their foot off the gas in last Sunday's home clash with Wrexham, which saw Brandon Thomas-Asante, Victor Torp and Ephron Mason-Clark all find the net in a 3-1 victory.

That result represented the club's 17th home league win of the season and moved them onto 92 points from 45 matches, 11 more than the next-best tally of Ipswich Town.

The Sky Blues are comfortably the division's highest scorers with 93 goals, so they will fancy their chances of troubling a Watford side that has conceded eight goals in their last two games.

Coventry have the chance to complete their first league double over the Hornets in 21 years after running out 3-1 winners in October's reverse fixture.

Watford Championship form:

L D L L L L

Coventry City Championship form:

W D D D W W

Team News

Watford remain without long-term absentees Hector Kyprianou, Rocco Vata and Stephen Mfuni.

Othmane Maama and Nestory Irankunda are options to start the final game of the Championship season.

Mamadou Doumbia could also come into the starting lineup if Still opts to alter his forward line.

As for the league champions, they are unable to call upon Oliver Dovin, Miguel Brau and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto.

Jack Rudoni will miss a second consecutive game after recently undergoing surgery on a long-standing shoulder issue.

Torp, Romain Esse and Ellis Simms could all feature if Lampard decides to make changes for the final outing of the season.

Watford possible starting lineup:

Selvik; Abankwah, Pollock, Keben, Bola; Irankunda, Mendy, Louza, Maama; Kayembe, Doumbia

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Rushworth; Thomas, Kitching, Dasilva; Onyeka, Grimes; Esse, Torp, Mason-Clark; Simms

We say: Watford 1-3 Coventry City

Having achieved their objectives, Coventry may lack the intensity that they have shown throughout the season, but they will still be keen to sign off with a win.

Given their attacking talent, we think the Sky Blues will prove too strong for a Watford side low on confidence following a poor run of results.

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