EFL Championship | Gameweek 46

May 3, 2025 at 12.30pm UK

Vicarage Road

Watford vs Sheff Weds

Match preview

Watford go into their final game of the Championship season on Saturday looking to end a run of defeats and return to the top half of the table to end the campaign on a high.

In their first full season under Tom Cleverley, the Hornets have impressed at times, although they have won just two of their last 11 games since the start of March.

The last of those, a 1-0 home win over Hull City at the start of April, left them in contention for a top-six finish with 56 points from 41 games, but they have since fallen into another rut, losing their last four games after opening against West Bromwich Albion.

Defeats to Burnley and Portsmouth followed in the Easter weekend double-header, before Cleverley's side most recently visited play-off-chasing Blackburn Rovers last weekend and, despite leading through Mattie Pollock on the hour mark, came away empty-handed as Todd Cantwell and Tyrhys Dolan fired the hosts to a 2-1 victory.

Sitting in 13th place on 56 points, having won 16 and lost 21 of their 45 league games, Watford will be hoping to end their campaign on a relatively high note and return to the top half of the table with victory at Vicarage Road.

The visitors, meanwhile, travel south in search of a last-day win to extend their slim lead over the hosts and cement their own top-half finish.

Sheffield Wednesday also spent much of the Championship season in play-off contention, but a six-game winless run between mid-March and mid-April saw them fall out of contention, with just two draws to go with four defeats.

Hoping to end their campaign on a high under Danny Rohl, the Owls returned to winning ways in impressive fashion on Easter Monday, beating Middlesbrough 2-1 thanks to second-half goals from Josh Windass and Anthony Musaba after Finn Azaz had put the visitors ahead early on.

Portsmouth then visited Hillsborough on Saturday and, after taking the lead through Callum Paterson in the ninth minute, Rohl's men had to settle for a point as the game ended in a 1-1 draw after Harvey Blair's 23rd-minute equaliser.

Now 12th in what could be Rohl's final game in charge, and with off-field problems mounting at Hillsborough, Sheffield Wednesday will be looking for their 10th away win of the season to seal a top-half finish and a significant improvement on last year's 20th-placed finish.

Recent Performance

Watford Championship form:LWLLLL

Sheffield Wednesday Championship form:LDLLWD

Team News

Watford's injury problems continue as goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann, defender Yasser Larouci, key midfielder Giorgi Chakvetadze and strikers Kwadwo Baah and Amin Nabizada all remain in the treatment room.

James Morris is a fresh injury concern after last week's defeat at Blackburn Rovers, although the Hornets will welcome back Moussa Sissoko and Kevin Keben from suspension.

In Baah's absence, Mamadou Doumbia could again be preferred to Vakoun Issouf Bayo up front, while Tom Ince is likely to join Edo Kayembe and Rocco Vata in supporting the front man in Morris' likely absence.

Sheffield Wednesday have several enforced absences of their own, with defenders Max Lowe and Di'Shon Bernard having missed the last few months of the season, while Yan Valery could also join them and fellow defenders Dominic Iorfa and Pol Valentin in the treatment room.

That leaves the Owls light at the back, with Shea Charles likely to partner Michael Ihiekwe at the heart of defence again, while Liam Palmer could also come in if Valery is sidelined.

Stuart Armstrong should once again join key man Barry Bannan in the engine room, while Michael Smith will hope to continue up front alongside threat men Josh Windass and Djeidi Gassama despite competition from Anthony Musaba, Ike Ugbo and Olaf Kobacki.

Possible starting lineup

Watford possible starting lineup:

Selvik; Ngakia, Pollock, Abankwah, Wiley; Dele-Bashiru, Sissoko; Ince, Louza, Vata; Doumbia

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

P Charles; Palmer, Ihiekwe, S Charles; Paterson, Armstrong, Bannan, Johnson; Windass, Ugbo, Gassama