Watford’s bid to rise above the challenges of Championship football in their second attempt has hit a significant obstacle, with just one win in their last nine league matches. Their latest outing saw them settle for a 1-1 draw against Swansea, a match where they continued a trend of self-inflicted setbacks. Right-back Ryan Andrews’ own goal early in the game epitomized this, despite Ryan Porteous managing to equalize later on. This result extended their winless streak at home to eight matches, with their last Championship victory coming against Rotherham in mid-January. Consequently, they have slipped out of contention for a top-six finish, currently sitting 12 points behind sixth-placed Hull City. With their recent poor form, fans are growing concerned about the possibility of relegation, especially with Stoke City, currently in 22nd place, just seven points adrift of Watford, though the Hornets have a cushion of eight teams between them and the relegation zone. The loan signing of Emmanuel Dennis from Nottingham Forest in January was expected to bolster their playoff aspirations, but his contribution of two goals in eight appearances hasn’t significantly impacted their fortunes.

In contrast, Coventry City boss Mark Robins celebrated seven years in charge with a resounding 5-0 victory over Rotherham, marking their second consecutive win by that scoreline at their home ground. Ellis Simms’ first-half hat-trick highlighted their attacking prowess, hinting at the potential for him to follow in the footsteps of Viktor Gyokeres. However, prior to this triumph, Coventry had suffered successive defeats against Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion, their first back-to-back losses since early November. Despite this setback, they remain in eighth place, just three points behind Hull City in sixth.

To enhance their prospects of promotion, they need to improve their away form, having won only six of their 18 Championship away fixtures this season, accumulating 22 points. In their previous encounter at Vicarage Road last season, Coventry emerged victorious, with Gyokeres netting the decisive goal, adding pressure on then-Watford manager Slaven Bilic.