Birmingham City Vs Watford Preview Prediction and Betting Tips
- Date: 16th March 2024, Saturday
- Time: 8:30 PM
- Competition: EFL Championship
- Venue: St. Andrew’s Stadium
A Saturday crunch fixture sees Birmingham welcome mid-table Watford for an intense clash at the West Midlands.
Birmingham City Vs Watford Team News
The game against Watford falls into a must-win category for Birmingham. To stay above the relegation zone before the final international break, nothing other than three points will suffice. Birmingham has been winless in the last five games in the English Championship and has only managed to secure victory in a mere seven home games at their base.
There is no time for trials and tribulations in Saturday’s clash, where two enduring clubs battle it out for survival of the fittest. Before kick-off, both sides are in dire situations where grabbing a win is not an option but a mandate.
Birmingham City’s season has been very inconsistent, plagued by managerial problems and underperformance. Sitting cautiously at 21st in the table with 39 points from 37 games, relegation seems to loom large for the Blues. The split with John Eustace, who had a promising start to the season taking the club to 7th place early on, later backfired, leaving supporters and pundits pointing fingers at the club.
Even under the eye of replacement Tony Mowbray, Birmingham has struggled to find their feet, remaining winless in their last five travels, losing four of them. The recent 0-1 loss to Middlesbrough at home magnifies the issue of converting performance to points. Despite a decent record at home, gathering three wins out of five, the other two ended in disappointment.
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Watford returned to the Championship with expectations of an instant return to the Premier League. However, the Hornets have faced a reality check as they sit 14th in the table. Searching for stability under interim manager Tom Cleverly after the dismissal of Valérien Ismaël still keeps the club in turmoil.
The Hornets’ form has not been up to par either, with just one win, one draw, and three losses in the last five games. An underwhelming defeat to Coventry City recently, letting go of the lead, just shows their vulnerability this season. Their away travels seem to show a gradual improvement with one win out of five compared to their home run, but ultimately all aspects have been underwhelming.
Birmingham City Vs Watford Injury News
Birmingham
The message is clear for Birmingham, secure the win and prevent relegation. This win would be a massive lifeline but should also turn into a catalyst for a survival bid inspiring the fans and club.
The team will miss out Krystian Bielik (Groin injury), Alfie Chang (Cruciate ligament injury) and Jeremy Ngakia (Knee injury)
Watford
Meanwhile, Watford have their own issues, but unbeaten in their last six previous meeting over Birmingham gives the Hornets the edge. Moreover rising above their capability is the only way to avoid a disappointing season.
The team will miss Jeremy Ngakia(Knee injury) and Vakoun Bayo (Hamstring Injury)
Birmingham City Vs Watford Predicted Lineups
The last 5 games: L L D L L
Predicted Line up Ruddy; Drameh, Aiwu, Sanderson, Buchanan; James, Paik; Hall, Stansfield, Bacuna; Jutkiewicz
The last 5 games: W L L D L
Predicted Line-up: Brad Collins. 40. Brad Collins · J. Latibeaudiere. 22. J. Latibeaudiere · L. Kitching. 15. L. Kitching · B. Thomas. 4. B. Thomas · Victor Torp. 29. Victor Torp.
Birmingham City Vs Watford Head-to-Head
16/09/23
Watford 2-0 Birmingham City
15/03/23
Watford 3-0 Birmingham City
17/08/22
Birmingham City 1-1 Watford
20/03/21
Watford 3-0 Birmingham City
12/12/20
Birmingham City 0-1 Watford
Birmingham City Vs Watford Prediction
A tight affair awaits with two sides fighting to find form. As both sides struggle in attack and defence, it’s hard to find a winner among these two.
Predicted scoreline: 1-1 draw.
Betting Tips
Bet 365
Birmingham City: 2.45
Draw: 3.25
Watford: 3.00
Where to Watch Birmingham City Vs Watford
India: FanCode (selective match)
UK: Sky Sports
USA: ESPN+, Hulu
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