Still says defensive failings down to injuries published at 18:26 BST 3 April
18:26 BST 3 April
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Image caption,
Ed Still took over as Watford boss in February
Watford boss Ed Still said poor defending by his injury-hit side was the reason for the 2-1 defeat against QPR at Loftus Road.
The Hornets were outplayed for large spells and only a late strike by Imran Louza brought any hope of salvaging a point.
"We've given ourselves too much to do in the last part of the game," Still told BBC Three Counties Radio.
"We've not defended the box well enough and that's one of the things we have done really well and been consistent with.
"But we've not done it today for both goals - and another chance they had. We showed a lack of quality.
"Clearly when you have to shuffle your back four game-to-game it weakens your team. That is one of the big explaining factors as to why we have struggled to defend the box."
Championship clubs spend more than £69m on agents feespublished at 17:15 BST 1 April
17:15 BST 1 April
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Image caption,
Ipswich signed Sindre Walle Egeli for a club record £17.5m in January
Championship clubs spent just over £69.5m on agents fees over the past 12 months according to figures released by the Football Association,, external an increase of £6m on the previous year.
The figures cover the period from February 2025 with Ipswich Town the top spenders, paying £11.7m having spent the first three months of the accounting period in the Premier League.
Southampton (£8.3m) and Leicester (£5.8m), who were relegated alongside Ipswich are the second and third-highest payers on the list.
Troubled Sheffield Wednesday were the most frugal when dealing with agents, spending £534,559.
Wrexham come in sixth on the list with an outlay of £3.6m while current Championship leaders Coventry spent just short of £1.5m.
"He should have been back at the end of next week but he has realised how many injured players there are and has said that he can play through the pain and manage it, as it's only a dislocated shoulder – so it's just for him to manage the pain."
Petris' likely return is good news for the Hornets with left-back Marc Bola rated a "big doubt" by Still.
"During last week's training he started to feel fatigue in the hip area, so there's a big question mark about him which puts a little bit of extra pressure on the full-back positions," he added.
Watford will assess James Abankwah, who suffered a dead leg while on duty with the Republic of Ireland, but Saba Goglichidze should also return after missing the last game against Leicester City.
Still's side are ninth on the Championship, seven points outside the top six with seven games remaining.
Watford's Irankunda scores twice in Australia winpublished at 13:09 BST 31 March
13:09 BST 31 March
Image source, PA Media
Image caption,
Nestory Irankunda joined Watford from Bayern Munich in 2025
Watford forward Nestory Irankunda scored twice as Australia beat Curacao 5-1 in their friendly in Melbourne on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old was introduced as a 67th-minute substitute by Socceroos boss Tony Popovic as the home side recovered from conceding an equaliser early in the second-half to run out comfortable winners.
Irankunda scored his double in the space of four minutes having also featured as a substitute in Australia's 1-0 win over Cameroon in Sydney last Friday.
He is set to be part of the Australia World Cup squad for this summer's tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico and will now return to England for Watford's trip to QPR in the Championship on Friday (15:00 BST).
"I was trying to put my finger on it, what the emotions are, and frustrating is probably the word," he said.
"It's a funny feeling, because on one hand to have seen how the players got out there on the pitch, credit to them. The commitment and mental strength to get over the pain for a lot of them, credit to them.
"We will take the point, because on another day you could lose that game.
"I was convinced we could have that moment in the second half where we could force a winner, and then you see that it didn't quite fall for us.
"It was frustrating because you feel a little bit powerless in moments where you know the squad is what it is and the boys are pushing through pain."
Still wants teams to fear Watford counter attackspublished at 18:33 GMT 20 March
18:33 GMT 20 March
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Watford have yet not won back-to-back games since Ed Still was appointed manager on 9 February
Watford manager Ed Still wants his team's counter attacks to strike fear into opponents as they continue to push for a Championship play-off spot.
The former Anderlecht coach, who took over the Hornets on 9 February, believes his squad have the tools to do damage to opponents with fast transitions.
Still called on his players to show it with the first back-to-back wins of his tenure when they host relegation-threatened Leicester City on Saturday.
"We want it that teams fear our counter attacks and transitions," Still told BBC Three Counties Radio. "We were excellent on Tuesday [against Wrexham].
"I had seen prior to coming in. The analysis I had made clear the counter-attacking qualities of the squad [but] I had got the feeling that they weren't quite lethal enough.
"We have put a big emphasis on converting those chances since and we're improving on it.
"We want to be a threat on the ball if teams do sit off us a little bit, that we have that threat dominating possession as well."
Watford beat Wrexham 3-1 on Tuesday and they go into Saturday's match in ninth spot, five points off sixth place with eight games to go.
"We want a repeat of that performance," said Still. "We are going to go full on and all in to try to do a repeat of the Wrexham game.
"The whole squad and the staff realise what stage of the season we are at but also that we haven't yet managed to put together a couple of wins on the bounce.
"We are very much intent on doing so [against Leicester]."
Five teams vying for two play-off spots - McAnuffpublished at 17:08 GMT 19 March
17:08 GMT 19 March
Media caption,
Jobi McAnuff believes just five teams are fighting it out for two Championship play-off spots.
In the latest edition of the BBC's 72+ EFL podcast, Aaron Paul and McAnuff were joined by AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson discuss the top stories from the EFL.
Watford's 3-1 win over Wrexham on Tuesday opened the door for Southampton to take over the Welsh side's top-six spot - and they did so, winning 1-0 against Norwich on Wednesday.
Watford are ninth, five points behind the Saints with eight games to go, while Birmingham are a further two points behind in 10th.
McAnuff said: "Watford are still in the mix. I feel like seven points feels a bit too big at this stage of the season. Birmingham feels a little far away.
"Southampton are the ones I believed would come through and get a play-off place.
"A couple of weeks ago I'd have said there's only one place up for grabs (sixth). That's changed now, (fifth-placed) Hull have been really inconsistent so they have been brought into it a lot more.
"You've got Easter coming up, six points can go in a week. You have a quick turnaround. If you can put a run of games together you can really jump up four or five places in the space of a few days. Anyone down to Watford (can make it), Birmingham feels a little too far away at this stage."
Pick of the stats: Watford v Leicester Citypublished at 15:41 GMT 19 March
15:41 GMT 19 March
Leicester City will seek an escape from the bottom three when they visit promotion-chasing Watford on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
The Foxes took the lead against Queens Park Rangers on the weekend but ultimately suffered a 3-1 defeat to leave them two points adrift of safety.
But the Hornets will be a tough customer, hunting down a place in the play-offs against stiff competition and hot off a big win against fellow promotion-hopefuls Wrexham.
Watford will be looking to do the league double over Leicester for the first time since 2012-13, after winning 2-1 in this season's reverse fixture on Boxing Day.
Leicester have won their last two away league games against Watford (5-1 in 2022 and 2-1 in 2024), and have never previously won three in succession away to the Hornets.
Watford have only won one of their last seven Saturday matches in the Championship (D2 L4), although that was in their most recent one at Vicarage Road (2-0 v Derby last month).
Leicester are winless in their last nine away league games (D5 L4); they last went 10 in a row without a win in the Championship between December 2004 and October 2005 (18).
Midfielder Jordan James is now Leicester's top scorer in the Championship this season (10), while only Abdul Fatawu (16) has more goal involvements for the Foxes than the Welshman (14).
Bove scores first goal since cardiac arrestpublished at 10:01 GMT 18 March
10:01 GMT 18 March
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Bove: 'I'm so so happy for me and the team'
Watford midfielder Edoardo Bove has dedicated his first goal since suffering a cardiac arrest to his girlfriend, after scoring in stoppage time to seal a 3-1 win against Wrexham on Tuesday.
"This goal was for [my girlfriend] because only we know what we have been through and without her I couldn't do anything and I have to thank her for being by my side each day of my rehab," Bove told BBC 3CR.
"It was an easy one - open goal - but the celebration was unbelievable. I went directly to the fans. I'm so so happy for me and for the team who supported me the past two months."
The 23-year-old collapsed playing for Fiorentina in Serie A in December 2024 but has been fit to play after having a defibrillator installed following a cardiac arrest.
"My feeling is very good - I think I'm improving and everyone knows in the club what I can do and how much I can play," Bove said.
"I can play a full match but it's all about what the coach decides and the team is doing well and I want to help. Let's see how I can help the team in the future."
The win over fellow promotion hopefuls Wrexham has renewed Watford's hopes of securing a Championship play-off place.
"It's what we are looking for," added Bove. "We know it's difficult but we watch ourselves only, we try to win every game - it's eight games left so we still have time."
Watford are ninth in the league and five points from the play-off spots. They will host struggling Leicester City on Saturday (15:00 GMT) aiming to build a winning run.
"We have the possibility to recover a lot of points. With the support of the fans it gives us more power and energy and we control the games better at home," said Bove.
Do you want VAR in the Championship?published at 08:18 GMT 18 March
08:18 GMT 18 March
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There have been plenty of contentious decisions in the 2025-26 Championship season so far.
Offside goals given, perfectly good goals ruled out, red card offences missed, penalties not given, dubious spot-kicks awarded. You name it.
With the video assistant referee (VAR) only used for the play-off final, the outcome of every second-tier game in the regular season can hinge on how on-field officials see incidents in real time.
Would you want VAR introduced for every league game in the Championship?
If so, why?
And if not, let us know your reasons.
You can share your thoughts on VAR here or comment below, and we will publish a follow-up article soon with a selection of your responses.
Doumbia puts ban behind him as Watford seek winpublished at 18:02 GMT 16 March
18:02 GMT 16 March
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Watford will have striker Mamadou Doumbia back for Tuesday's vital game against play-off hopefuls Wrexham at Vicarage Road.
Doumbia has completed a three-match ban imposed after a clash with Ipswich's Dara O'Shea was caught on video, although it was not seen on the night by officials.
The Hornets are in 10th place, four places and eight points adrift of their Welsh opponents, and are in urgent need of victory to close that gap.
Doumbia says he found having to watch from the sidelines hard.
"I am young, and sometimes you make a mistake. But, if you make a mistake, you have to put your head up and try to look forward," he told the club's website.
The 20-year-old scored against Wrexham in a 2-2 draw in December but added: "That's the past – now this game is the most important. We have to play with confidence and show character. We have just nine more games, and we have to try to win as many as we can."
Watford boss Ed Still has called on his team to "push harder" following Saturday's 3-1 loss at Stoke City.
He told BBC Three Counties Radio: "I'm fairly stable. Things are never as good as they seem when you're winning and on a good run, and things are never as bad as they seem on the back of a defeat, only the second defeat in six games.
"We're going to turn up at The Vic on Tuesday and just go for it."
Pick of the stats: Watford v Wrexhampublished at 09:23 GMT 16 March
09:23 GMT 16 March
Image source, Opta
There's a big game in the Championship play-off race as Watford host Wrexham on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT).
The Hornets are 10th and now eight points adrift of the sixth-placed Red Dragons after a run of one win in four, going down 3-1 at Stoke on Saturday.
Phil Parkinson's men bounced back from a home defeat to Hull City with a 2-0 win over Swansea on Friday night and know a win would take them above the Tigers on goal difference and into fifth for the first-time this season.
It would also open a six-point cushion to the play-off chasing pack with just eight games to come after their trip to Vicarage Road.
Three of the past five Football League meetings between Watford (W1) and Wrexham (W1) have been drawn, including the reverse fixture in December (2-2), with Ollie Rathbone netting a 92nd minute equaliser for the Welsh side.
Wrexham have won on only one of their previous 10 Football League trips to Watford (D2 L7); a 2-1 victory in March 1975.
Watford have lost three of their past five league games at Vicarage Road (W1 D1), as many defeats as in their previous 20 matches (W11 D6).
After failing to win their final eight away league matches in 2025 (D5 L3), Wrexham have won five of their six away league games so far in 2026 (D1).
Wrexham's Josh Windass has scored in his past two league games against Watford, netting at Vicarage Road for Sheffield Wednesday in May last season and in December in the reverse fixture.
'Gutted' Still rues Watford missed chancespublished at 19:11 GMT 14 March
19:11 GMT 14 March
Media caption,
Still: 'You need to be taking those chances'
Watford head coach Ed Still has said he is "gutted" that his side failed to take their chances in a 3-1 loss at Stoke City on Saturday.
Tom Ince missed two good chances in the first half before Potters winger Million Manhoef gave the hosts the lead.
Hornets defender Stephen Mfuni also blundered a free header in the latter period before Manhoef completed his brace, with the lead momentarily halved by the Hornets' Nestory Irankunda in the final 10 minutes.
Sam Gallagher however stumped a Watford comeback when his strike sailed into the far corner on the 85th minute to seal the Hornets' 11th loss of the season.
"Gutted because there's a little bit of the same feeling as there was after the Sheffield Wednesday game earlier this week, where we've started the game and had at least three huge opportunities there and come into the zones where we wanted to be, pulled the ball back to the zones we wanted to bring it back to," explained Still to BBC Three Counties Radio.
"At this level, at any level, you need to be taking those chances to be one or two ahead, and then the dynamic of the game changes completely.
"You put the opposition on the back foot, you're able to set up and manage the game completely differently.
"Then also we've come out early in the second half and had another couple of really, really good chances - not just situations, but actually real chances, which we haven't taken."
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