Watford to part with Ed Still after Coventry visit caps a season of decline

Key facts

• Watford have lost four consecutive matches and are winless in seven.
• Coventry City secured the Championship title with a 5-1 win over Portsmouth.
• Coventry have 92 points from 45 matches, 11 more than second-placed Ipswich.
• Watford have conceded eight goals in their last two games.
• Ed Still took over in February when Watford were 12th, three points off the playoffs; they now sit 16th, 13 points adrift.
• Coventry are the division's top scorers with 93 goals.
• Watford last beat Coventry in November 2020, a 3-2 home win.

A season of promise unravels at Vicarage Road

When Watford appointed Ed Still in February, the club sat 12th in the Championship, just three points adrift of the playoff places. Fourteen matches later, the Hornets have slipped to 16th, 13 points off the top six, and are preparing to part ways with the 35-year-old manager after Saturday's home fixture against Coventry City. Still signed a two-and-a-half-year contract in February, but the board has lost confidence after a run of seven matches without a win, including four consecutive defeats. The team has conceded at least two goals in five of their last six games, and the two most recent away outings ended in heavy losses: 3-0 at West Bromwich Albion and 5-1 at Middlesbrough.

Coventry's triumphant return to the Premier League

Coventry City will arrive at Vicarage Road as Championship champions, having secured promotion with a 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers on April 17 and clinched the title with a dominant 5-1 victory over Portsmouth. Frank Lampard's side have amassed 92 points from 45 matches, 11 more than second-placed Ipswich Town, and are the division's highest scorers with 93 goals. Last Sunday, the Sky Blues beat Wrexham 3-1 at home, with goals from Brandon Thomas-Asante, Victor Torp and Ephron Mason-Clark. That result was their 17th home league win of the season. Coventry are unbeaten in seven matches and will be looking to claim their 28th league win of the campaign on Saturday.

Injuries and selection dilemmas for both sides

Watford will be without long-term absentees Hector Kyprianou (ankle) and Rocco Vata (hamstring). Head coach Ed Still may reshuffle his attack after last Saturday's 5-1 defeat, with Giorgi Chakvetadze, Kwadwo Baah, Nestory Irankunda, Othmane Maama and Mamadou Doumbia all hoping for a return to the starting line-up. Coventry will be missing influential midfielder Jack Rudoni (shoulder) for a second consecutive game. Also sidelined are Oliver Dovin (knee), Miguel Brau (muscle strain) and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto (rib injury).

Still's likely farewell XI and the leadership void

Goalkeeper Egil Selvik is expected to retain his place despite the team's defensive struggles. Jeremy Ngakia, who returned to action last weekend, will continue at right-back. The central defensive partnership is likely to be James Abankwah and Mattie Pollock, with Pollock expected to assume the club captaincy this summer when Imran Louza departs. Louza's form has dipped from earlier in the season, but he is set to start what could be his final match for the club. Rarmani Mendy, who initially impressed under Still, has also seen his performance levels drop, but no clear alternative is available for his role.

A bottom-half finish looms for Watford

Watford have not won since mid-March and could suffer their lowest league finish since the 2004-05 campaign, when they ended the season in 18th place in the Championship. The Hornets currently sit 16th, but a heavy defeat against Coventry could see them drop further. Still's tenure has yielded just three wins in 14 matches, with four draws and seven losses. The gamble to appoint a relatively inexperienced manager mid-season has not paid off, and the club is now preparing for yet another managerial change — the third of the campaign.

Coventry eye a fitting finale before Premier League return

Coventry City will play Premier League football next season for the first time since 2001, completing a remarkable rise from League Two eight years ago. The Sky Blues have already achieved their primary objectives — promotion and the title — but have shown no signs of easing off, as evidenced by their 3-1 win over Wrexham last weekend. A victory at Vicarage Road would give Coventry their 28th league win of the season and extend their unbeaten run to eight matches. For Watford, the match marks the end of a disappointing campaign and the likely departure of yet another head coach, leaving the club to rebuild once again over the summer.

The bottom line

• Ed Still is expected to be dismissed after Saturday's match, having won only three of 14 games since his appointment in February.
• Watford have lost four straight matches and are winless in seven, conceding eight goals in their last two outings.
• Coventry City have already secured the Championship title with 92 points and are the division's top scorers with 93 goals.
• Coventry will play in the Premier League next season for the first time since 2001, having risen from League Two in eight years.
• Watford's likely lowest finish since 2004-05 underscores a season of decline after a promising start under previous management.
• Key players on both sides are injured, including Coventry's Jack Rudoni and Watford's Hector Kyprianou and Rocco Vata.