Watford v Ipswich Betting Tip Over 2.5 goals – Saturday 21 March

Championship Tips

The ridiculousness of the Championship promotion picture this season means that three clubs can finish on top of the table come the end of each weekend the now. That is after a couple of weeks where there were five clubs separated by three points or less. The current league leaders, Watford, have been the most consistent over the last month or so with five wins in their last six, with the other match ending in a score draw away to another side challenging for promotion – Wolves. Some people will point to the quality of their opponents during that winning spell as the five wins have come against sides in the bottom half of the table but everybody knows how competitive this league is, especially when sitting at the top of the table.

Ipswich won their first game in five when defeating Bolton 1-0 at Portman Road on Tuesday evening. It was a huge relief and could turn out to be a massive win for Mick McCarthy’s side as it keeps them just a point behind sixth placed Brentford. With only eight games left of the regular season, every single match between now and the end of the campaign will be massive for this club as they look to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2002. They were challenge for automatic promotion for much of the season but that poor run has all but ended their hopes of finishing in the top two and their only realistic chance of going up is via the play-offs.

It is hard to talk about Watford without mentioning goals. Second most amount of goals in the league, most home goals, highest average of goals per game and the highest scoring strike partnership are accolades that all belong to the Hornets. All that will mean nothing, however, if their season does not end with winning promotion. There is some suggestion that they are flattered by their league position due to a poor record against the top clubs in the league but everybody plays the same teams and if they do go up, they will have done it on merit.

It’s their form away from home that has really harmed Ipswich in recent weeks. After a terrific run of one defeat in 12 games on the road at the beginning of the season they have picked up just one win in their last last six. What has been more damning for them during that spell is they have lost the other five. There’s no doubt that has to change and it has left them having to pick up points at very difficult venues in their last four regular season away games – no more so than at the home of the league leaders.

This could be a defining weekend in the Championship as eight of the top nine clubs all play each other. Ipswich know the importance of this game as Brentford play host to hapless Millwall so they certainly won’t want to lose any more ground. Watford will be determined to stay at the top for as long as they can and not give the sides below them any momentum. Their record against the top eight clubs does concern me so rather than select the home win, back both teams to contest an entertaining game and for their to be at least three goals at a ground which has seen more goals than any other in the Championship.

Over 2.5 goals 5/6 @ Betfair