Boss Mick McCarthy says it should come as little surprise that there are a few nerves showing amongst the Championship sides challenging for promotion to the Premier League.
The Town manager felt Portman Road was nervy during Tuesday’s 1-0 home victory over Bolton, while Derby continued their recent severe wobble last night - they've taken just two points from six games - by losing 2-0 at Wolves, who moved a point and place above the now-eighth Blues as a result.
"There’s a helluva big prize, isn’t there? And there’s only eight games to play," McCarthy said ahead of today’s visit to current leaders Watford.
"We’ve been in and around it all season long. It would be ridiculous if I sat here and said there’s no nerves, no anxiety. You think there’s any up at Derby? You think there’s any at Norwich or anywhere else? Of course there is.
"We all want to get promoted. And we’d have to have completely no heart or no emotions at all if we didn’t get nervous, and that’s the same for everyone.
"You’ve got to try and overcome that and you overcome it by winning. Yes, there was a bit of anxiety on Tuesday night, but we won the game. I’d settle for being anxious on Saturday and winning as well.”
He says nerves can be a good thing: "If you can channel them in the right direction. If you’re sat as a quivering wreck in the dressing room they’re no good.
"I preferred it when I went out on the pitch and felt… I’m not sure nervous is the right term, that suggests you’re scared and afraid and not wanting to play, but feeling a slight worry about the game, I don’t know how to describe it really.
"If I went out feeling it was a piece of cake, I generally ended up like that piece of cake with chocolate all over my face and not playing very well.
"If I went out and I was conscious of my opposite number and playing against him and I knew I had to play well, if that’s what nervousness is and it makes you play better, then definitely. A bit of insecurity makes you work harder.”