Ipswich v Watford: Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy has named an unchanged side for the third successive game, for this afternoon’s visit of Watford.

New Watford manager Guiseppe Sannino, who was appointed on Wednesday, has made seven changes to the team which lost 1-0 at home to Sheffield Wednesday last weekend.

Manuel Almunia (who has been made captain), Lloyd Doyley (fit again), Joel Ekstrand, Gabriele Angella, Lewis McGugan, Daniel Pudil and Diego Fabbrini have all been recalled, with Jonathan Bond, Hector Bellerin, Fitz Hall, Davide Faraoni (injured), Nyron Nosworthy, Cristian Battochio and Ikechi Anya dropping out.

Gianfranco Zola resigned on Monday after a winless run was extended to nine matches, five of them defeats and all five of those losses having come at Vicarage Road.

Ipswich have lost just three games in 16 and are unbeaten in four, sitting just three points off of the play-off places.

IPSWICH TOWN (4-3-3): Gerken; Chambers (cpt), Berra, Smith, Cresswell; Skuse, Hyam, Tunnicliffe; Nouble, McGoldrick, Murphy.

Subs: Loach, Mings, Edwards, Tabb, Anderson, Graham, Taylor.

WATFORD (3-5-2): Almunia (cpt); Doyley, Angella, Ekstrand; Cassetti, Murray, Thorne, McGugan, Pudil; Fabbrini, Deeney.

Subs: Bond, Battocchio, McEachran, Forestieri, Anya, Iriney, Nosworthy.

Referee: Graham Scott