Coventry City will aim to end a successful 2025/26 season on a high note when they take on Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
The curtains will fall on the regular season of the 2025/26 EFL Championship season, and soon, we will know who will join Coventry City in the Premier League next term. The newly-crowned champions have nothing to play for in the game vs Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
Watford had once been in contention to secure a top-six finish in the EFL Championship, having risen to fourth in the standings midway through the campaign. However, the Hornets have been on a freefall since then, winning only three of their last 20 games to fall to 16th on the table, with Edward Still struggling to have the desired effect on his charges.
Like Watford, Coventry City will have nothing to play for this weekend, as they have won the EFL Championship title and will return to the Premier League. Frank Lampard’s men have been exceptional after a brief lull, losing only one of their last 15 games. However, the Sky Blues remain in solid form, plundering eight goals in their two most recent league games.
The reverse fixture saw Coventry City cruise to a 3-1 win over Watford, with Imran Louza scoring the consolation goal. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Watford
Edward Still has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Watford head coach will be bereft of the services of only three first-team players vs Coventry City on Saturday.
Hector Kyprianou, Rocco Vata, and Stephen Mfuni are the long-term absentees for the home side, and they will not return for the final game of the 2025/26 season. Otherwise, Still has a full-strength squad to take on Coventry City.
Egil Selvik will take his spot between the sticks, with Watford lining up in a 4-4-2 formation in front of him vs Coventry City on Saturday. The backline will feature James Abankwah, Mattie Pollock, Kevin Keben, and Marc Bola.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Nampalys Mendy and Imran Louza in the central spots, with Nestory Irankunda and Othmane Maamma being the two wide attackers. Finally, Edo Kayembe and Mamadou Doumbia should be the two strikers for the home side.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Selvik; Abankwah, Pollock, Keben, Bola; Irankunda, Mendy, Louza, Maamma; Kayembe, Doumbia
Coventry City
Like his counterpart in the Watford dugout, Frank Lampard has no new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to Vicarage Road. The Coventry City manager will be without four first-team players on Saturday.
Jack Rudoni is the most notable absentee after undergoing surgery for a persistent shoulder issue. The English midfielder accompanies Oliver Dovin, Miguel Brau, and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto in the treatment room.
Carl Rushworth will bring the curtains down on his loan spell with Coventry City by featuring between the sticks, with Coventry City lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Watford on Saturday. The backline will feature Milan van Ewijk, Bobby Thomas, Liam Kitching, and Jay Dasilva.
As for the midfield unit, Frank Onyeka and Matt Grimes will pair up in the double pivot in the middle of the park, with Victor Torp reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Ellis Simms should return to the starting lineup and spearhead the Coventry City attack, with Romain Esse and Ephron Mason-Clark being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Rushworth; van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Dasilva; Onyeka, Grimes; Esse, Torp, Mason-Clark; Simms
Key Stats
- Watford are winless in eight league games vs Coventry City (D4 L4) since a 3-2 victory in November 2020.
- After their 3-1 win in October, Coventry City could complete their first league double over Watford since the 2004/05 season.
- Watford have only won their final league game in two of the last 13 seasons (D3 L8), drawing 1-1 with Sheffield Wednesday in the 2024/25 season.
- After their 2-0 win over Middlesbrough on Matchday 46 last year, Coventry City could win their final game of successive Championship seasons for the first time since 2005/06 and 2006/07.
- Among managers to take charge of 100+ Championship games, only Scott Parker (1.95) and Daniel Farke (1.92) have a better points-per-game ratio than Frank Lampard (1.82).
Player to Watch
Ellis Simms
While Romain Esse, Imran Louza, and Edo Kayembe were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Ellis Simms as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s EFL Championship match between Watford and Coventry City at Vicarage Road.
While Haji Wright has been the talismanic striker for Coventry City, Frank Lampard may rotate his troops this weekend and give an opportunity to a few, like Ellis Simms. Despite not being an undisputed first-choice starter for Coventry, Simms has made his mark, scoring ten goals to sit third in the team’s goalscoring charts this season. He will aim to end the campaign strongly, and a solid showing against Watford should be on the cards.
Prediction
Watford 1-2 Coventry City
With neither team having anything to play for on the final day, we should see Watford and Coventry City play without abandon. With the players having the freedom to express themselves, we should witness a glut of chances on both ends.
However, despite playing a second-string side this weekend, Coventry City should have the resources to clinch another victory to put the cherry on top of a memorable campaign. While Edo Kayembe may pull a goal back for the home side, The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Frank Lampard and his charges.
