As ever, the race for promotion in the Championship is going to go to the wire, both for the automatic spots and through the play-offs. Watford are very much in the running for latter of those two but they are also in contention for a top two finish. After winning five of their last six in the league, they sit four points off top of the table Middlesbrough. The big games keep coming thick and fast for the Hornets with the visit of Norwich, a side who sit three points behind them. They have won their last three at home, scoring 13 goals in the process but it will be another test of their credentials.
Alex Neil was a surprise choice to take over from Neil Adams as Norwich boss but he has stabilised the club and they look like mounting a challenge for promotion, as many expected at the beginning of the season. They occupy the final play-off position at this point in time, one point ahead of Brentford. They may just have too much to do to finish in the automatic positions, such is the qualify the of teams who sit above them but they have won three games in a row for only the second time this season, meaning they too come into this game in decent form.
Watford are the entertainers of the league as they have been for the past few seasons. Only Bournemouth have scored more goals than them but games involving Watford have produced the most goals, averaging well over three a game. Many of those goals were expected to be scored by Troy Deeney and Matej Vydra but it’s another striker who has grabbed the headlines – Odion Ighalo. The Nigerian has found the net 15 times in the Championship.
Norwich are another of the sides who have not struggled in front of goal this season, netting just four less than this weekend’s opponents. Their games also average more than three goals in them indicating they are better going forward than they are in defence. Neil will be happy to see his side keep three clean sheets in their last four, because of that, but they have only managed that feat once in their last six games away from home.
Sometimes games just jump off the page at you screaming goals, and this is one of them. Both sides are much more comfortable on the front foot and will be equally desperate for the points in the battle for promotion. A win would likely see Norwich leapfrog Watford whilst a home success would inch them close to the top two. I don’t have any strong opinion on the winner but I strongly fancy goals in this match-up.
Over 2.5 goals @ Betfair
