Watford will be aiming to maintain their status as league leaders with a victory over Ipswich Town on Saturday – a win which would realistically all but end the Tractor Boys’ automatic promotion hopes and leave their play-off ambitions hanging by a thread.

From seemingly being nailed-on to at least finish in the top six in what appeared to be another case of manager, Mick McCarthy, getting it right in the Championship, the Tractors Boys have blown up spectacularly, winning just five out of their last 16 in all competitions.

Yes, Ipswich were handed a lifeline on Tuesday as a late Jay Tabb goal secured all three points against Bolton Wanderers, but you have to question how a side who seemed to have all the ingredients for a successful Premier League charge capitulated like they did.

All is still not lost, however, and if Ipswich can claim victory in Hertfordshire, then they will go to 67 points – a tally which, before a ball is kicked in this round of Championship fixtures, is the current total Derby County and rivals Norwich City are sitting on.

Doing that is a lot easier said than done, however, as Watford have kicked on with their plan for promotion by blitzing all opposition in recent weeks. Indeed, there is now a genuine possibility that two of their strikers will break the 20 goal mark this campaign, with Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo bagging 36 goals between them so far this season. Matej Vydra has also chipped in with a solid return of 12 for the campaign, meaning the Hornets’ firepower has been so impressive that should they get promoted, you wonder whether they’d even need to strengthen their front-line at all.

This avalanche of goals that has seen Watford move up through the gears in recent weeks is the main reason that the Hornets now sit pretty at the top of the league with 72 points and a goal difference of +33. Their recent form has been imperious too, with 17 goals scored in six games, yielding five wins and one draw.

As a result, it is with no great surprise that the market has placed Watford as clear favourites ahead of this match, with odds of 11/10 the best price you’ll get on a home victory. An Ipswich win, by contrast, is 11/4, with a draw also available at the same odds.

Ipswich, however, do boast a player in their ranks who can surpass the scoring exploits of any Watford frontman this campaign in Daryl Murphy. The striker has had the season of his life this term, with 23 goals to his name in all competitions and he is priced at 6/1 to open the scoring and 28/13 to net anytime.

As for Watford, the pick of their strike force is currently Deeney, with 19 goals thus far. He is 11/2 to score first and 28/17 to find the net at any point.