Hull City failed to make up ground in the race for promotion to the Premier League as a goalless draw with Watford left them four points off the Championship's top two.
The Tigers knew a victory would lift them within two points of leaders Coventry City and second-placed Middlesbrough, but they were arguably fortunate to even earn a draw against the managerless visitors.
Watford, who saw Javi Gracia call time on his second stint at the club on Sunday, saw Giorgi Chakvetadze force a good save out of Ivor Pandur in the first half, while Egil Selvik denied Charlie Hughes at the other end.
Imran Louza then went close on two occasions for the Hornets in the second half, as they attempted 16 shots to Hull's six and won the expected goals (xG) battle by 0.93 to 0.3.
The Hornets remain eighth in the table, three points off the play-off places, while Hull are three points above fourth-placed Ipswich Town – who have a game in hand after their trip to Portsmouth was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Elsewhere, Blackburn Rovers escaped the relegation zone – with West Brom replacing them in the bottom three – with a 1-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.
Blackburn, who are also managerless after Valerien Ismael's exit on Monday, had to navigate a nervy second half after Eiran Cashin scored his first goal for the club 12 minutes in.
Murphy Cooper made a couple of big saves in the Sheffield Wednesday goal, and the Owls almost equalised in the second half, when Jamal Lowe's header was cleared off the line and then struck the crossbar.
Wednesday's rivals, Sheffield United, defeated Oxford United – who are also mired in the drop zone – 3-1 in Tuesday's final match, with Andre Brooks continuing his good run of goalscoring form and Sydie Peck and Chiedozie Ogbene also on target.
Data Debrief: Blackburn end midweek woes
Ahead of Tuesday's game, Blackburn had only won one of their last 13 home league games played in midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday), drawing six and losing six.
They were winless in eight such matches (three draws, five defeats) since January 2025, but their hard-earned victory over the Championship's bottom club lifted them outside the bottom three on goal difference.