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.”

Photo: Action Images

bluefeast added 06:58 - Mar 21 Wolves are now above us ,Yes Derby have only picked up 2 points from 6 games , but they after that horrific run are still in effect 4 points ahead of us if you include goal difference. * games to go , i feel we are in a 4 way battle for 5th and 6th. Trouble is we have to make the ground up on others.
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finidi added 07:58 - Mar 21 Maybe just maybe! we can now lay under the radar with the pressure off we can make a surprise late run teams with momentum usually do well in playoffs. Or is this wishful thinking??
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PJH added 08:32 - Mar 21 We need to try to reproduce the December form, it has to come back sometime, and go there and fight for everything. A D'Urso cock up in our favour might help as well. We will be giving it our all from the stands. COYB
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brittaniaman added 09:19 - Mar 21 We have been worried about Brentford for the last couple of weeks,, and now Wolves have forced there way in as a contender for that play off place ???? and to think that both these teams were in league one last season !!!!!! So what has happened to us Guys ??? we are bottom of the top pile SO COYBs !!!!!!!!!!!! YOU CAN DO IT
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Sir_Bob added 10:06 - Mar 21 When Skuse gets the late winner today, the Lowestoft 6:38 squadron have promised to invade the pitch with their inflatables.
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muccletonjoe added 12:22 - Mar 21 Time to swap nerves for ambition or there will be nothing to be nervous about
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Infinidi added 12:46 - Mar 21 That's a pretty interesting bit of insight from Mick there - totally agree that you have to be conscious of and respect the opposition if you're a defender, but as an attacker you have to be a bit more cocksure and fancy yourself a bit.
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hazelton added 12:54 - Mar 21 What's all this talk of nerves, we are 8th? We can coast to mid-table from here.
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TimmyH added 13:51 - Mar 21 Well if we've got some nerves amongst our already depleted quality lacking squad then our chances of making the play-offs I would say is not favourable - the mental side in all sports separates the winners from the losers. Queried this last season how our team would react if we did finally have a good play-off chance.
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