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Championship match preview: Birmingham City - Watford

Written by: Second_Sight Published: 20-01 02:20:41

Blues remain unbeaten at St Andrews

Resurgent Birmingham City host lower half placed Watford in their Championship match at St Andrews on Saturday afternoon. Birmingham secured a local derby win at Wolves in their midweek FA Cup third round replay and now progress into the fourth round with a tricky fixture at Sheffield United. But this will now be forgotten as Blues prepare to consolidate their position within the play-off pack by taking all three points against a Watford side who have struggled for results recently. Aside from their cup exploits and a Europa League campaign in which they gave a good account of themselves, Birmingham have also been impressive in the Championship in recent weeks too with wins over Blackpool, Ipswich Town and an emphatic 6-0 win at Millwall which was a totally unexpected scoreline but welcome nonetheless as it boosted their goal difference to +13. Blues’ home record remains unbeaten at 8-4-0 19/6, and despite being one of the league’s lower goalscorers, they do not tend to concede many at the back either. That said, they’ve scored 9 goals in their last three matches and conceded just 2. In fact, Birmingham are now unbeaten in their last five league matches and will be looking to make that six when Watford come to town. In order to preserve this run watch out for the likes of Marlon King (9 goals, 4 assists), who had the luxury of being rested midweek and faces one of his former employees and a team that he was lethal for in the 2005/06 season, banging in 22 goals in the process, along with striker Nikloa Zigic (4 goals) and play-maker Chris Burke (6 goals, 9 assists). Jean Beausejour and left-back David Murphy have also contributed with 4 assists each.

Watford struggling on the road

Watford will be keen to record a vital three points when they travel up to the midlands after a promising November and December which saw The Hornets string together an eight match unbeaten run. Since then though, the turn of the new year has seen them suffer back-to-back losses against Portsmouth and Reading as they nervously look over their shoulder at the bottom three. Watford have won just once in their last six matches which was a convincing 4-1 home win over seemingly doomed Doncaster Rovers, and just once in their last nine on the road. Their away form has basically been the culprit towards their slide down the Championship and reads 2-5-5 9/16, and a lack of goals away from home has been the root cause. Leading scorer is striker Marvin Sordell (8 goals, 3 assists) and he’s supported by the likes of forwards Troy Deeney and Chris Iwelumo, although Deeney has notched just one in his last eleven, while Iwelumo, usually a prolific finisher, has not scored in his last thirteen appearances; therein lies the problem I fear. However, Mark Yeates (7 assists) will need to be monitored closely in order to cut off the supply to Sordell.

Blues to draw Hornets` sting

Birmingham’s winning momentum has gathered pace and they should be too strong at home against a struggling Watford who find it difficult to find the net on their travels; it will be a tight affair but Blues to win it 1-0.

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Prediction:

Tip: Birmingham straight win
Odd: 1.67
Bookie: Bet365
Stake: 7 /10
Tipster: Second_Sight

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