Irankunda stars as Watford makes it four in a row
In-form Socceroos star Nestory Irankunda had a second match-sealing assist in as many games as Watford continued its fine run of form with a 3-0 win over Birmingham.
Tom Ince scored all three of Watford's goals - the third of which was teed up by Irankunda's scything run and pin-point through ball - bringing the Hornets' winning run to four games and keeping them three points off fourth place.
Ipswich defeated Oxford United in its first game of 2026 to move up to second place.
Jaden Philogene scored his ninth goal of the campaign to put the Tractor Boys ahead at Portman Road, but Will Lankshear equalised for the visitor shortly after the half-hour mark.
Kieran McKenna’s side, however, regained the lead and claimed all three points before the break, as Chuba Akpom fired in the winner in what was his first start in seven games.
Ipswich's rise up the standings came at the expense of Middlesbrough, which fell to a 1-0 loss at Derby County.
Bobby Clark’s 70th-minute strike was enough to separate the two sides, with Boro now failing to score in each of their last four games.
Championship leader Coventry City, meanwhile, failed to get its year off to a winning start, after being held to a 1-1 draw at Charlton Athletic.
Ellis Simms gave Frank Lampard's side the lead after just three minutes, sweeping home from Milan van Ewijk's pass, but Joe Rankin-Costello restored parity in the 69th minute.
Coventry is eight points ahead of Ipswich at the summit, though it has failed to win its last two matches (D1 L1).
On the other hand, Hull City saw its five-game unbeaten run come to an end with a 1-0 defeat at home to Stoke City, the Tigers dropping to fifth on the table.
