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Championship | Gameweek 4
Aug 16, 2022 at 7.45pm UK
St. Andrew's Stadium
WL

Birmingham
1 - 1
Watford

Hall (19')
Sanderson (81')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Sema (63')
Choudhury (45+3')

Preview: Birmingham City vs. Watford - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Birmingham City vs. Watford - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Championship clash between Birmingham City and Watford, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Aiming to extend their beaten start to life back in the Championship, Watford visit St Andrew's on Tuesday, where they meet Birmingham City.

While the Hornets have won two of their first three matches, conceding only one goal, Blues are looking to bounce back from a weekend defeat to Cardiff.


Match preview

Featuring in the Championship's Friday night game, Watford - who have yet to play on a Saturday or Sunday - won a battle of teams relegated from the Premier League by edging out Burnley.

Tom Cleverley's goal at the end of the first half proved enough to secure a 1-0 win, bringing a second home victory for new boss Rob Edwards from two attempts.

Though the Hornets spent much of the second half under pressure - particularly in the final 10 minutes, following Hassane Kamara's dismissal for a last-man foul - they took maximum points to move top of the Championship table before Saturday's fixtures.

They have since been surpassed, but with seven points on the board already - and both Ismaila Sarr and Joao Pedro remaining at the club for now - Watford are expected to stay among the early pace-setters.

Last season's top scorer Emmanuel Dennis may have departed for Nottingham Forest, but Edwards has also overseen the arrival of some impressive signings in the past week, so the visitors arrive in the Midlands confident of at least remaining unbeaten.

After coming through their opening two games of the new season with four points, the prophets of doom were quietened a little at St Andrew's, but Birmingham could not keep the positive momentum going for their weekend trip to the Welsh capital.

John Eustace's side went behind early on against Cardiff City to a goal from Aston Villa loanee Jaden Philogene-Bidace, and they were somewhat fortunate not suffer a greater margin of defeat than the final 1-0 scoreline.

Given their well-documented issues off the pitch, many expect Blues to be locked in another scrap to avoid relegation this year, though they managed a 2-1 win over playoff finalists Huddersfield Town in their only home game so far.

They also fought back from behind to draw 2-2 with Norwich in the EFL Cup, before succumbing to the Canaries on penalties, so there have been signs of hope for Eustace and the club's beleaguered fans.

The former QPR assistant and Kidderminster Harriers boss spent five years of his playing career at Watford, representing Birmingham's next opponents 157 times, but sentiment will have to be in short supply when the Hornets arrive in B9.

Birmingham City Championship form:
  • D
  • W
  • L

Birmingham City form (all competitions):
  • L
  • D
  • D
  • W
  • L
  • L

Watford Championship form:
  • W
  • D
  • W

Watford form (all competitions):
  • L
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • W


Team News

Watford manager Rob Edwards has a handful of absentees to contend with on Tuesday, as Hassane Kamara must serve a suspension following his red card on Friday, while two players have left the club and others are out injured.

Midfield pair Tom Dele-Bashiru and Imran Louza remain sidelined by long-term knee injuries, and Nigerian forward Samuel Kalu will not return from a hamstring problem until next month. His countryman Emmanuel Dennis has joined Nottingham Forest's revolution for £20m, and centre-back Samir recently signed for Tigres UANL.

Nonetheless, new arrivals Keinan Davis - on loan from Birmingham's arch-rivals Aston Villa - and former Barcelona striker Rey Manaj provide competition for Joao Pedro up front, and Hamza Choudhury should start in midfield after a positive debut against Burnley.

Meanwhile, Birmingham boss John Eustace only made one change to his lineup last time out, with Ryan Woods being replaced by teenager Alfie Chang, and he is likely to retain most of his starting XI again, despite defeat to Cardiff.

The hosts should feature John Ruddy in goal, and a midfield three of Chang, Juninho Bacuna and Jordan James, while captain Troy Deeney is partnered by Scott Hogan up front.

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Ruddy; Sanderson, Roberts, Trusty; Colin, James, Hall, Bacuna, Placheta; Hogan, Deeney

Watford possible starting lineup:
Bachmann; Gaspar, Cathcart, Sierralta, Sema; Kayembe, Choudhury, Cleverley; Bayo, Asprilla; Pedro


We say: Birmingham City 1-2 Watford

Birmingham have been quite resolute so far, conceding only two goals in three league games, but faced by a well-stocked Watford attack, they may not be able to hold out on Tuesday: the visitors' abundance of options up front will tip the result in their favour.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Birmingham CityBirmingham1292123111229
2Wycombe WanderersWycombe1282226161026
3Wrexham1374221101125
4Mansfield TownMansfield127322014624
5Lincoln CityLincoln137332016424
6Bolton WanderersBolton137242219323
7Huddersfield TownHuddersfield137151912722
8Barnsley136432118322
9Reading137152120122
10Stockport CountyStockport135622012821
11Exeter CityExeter126151310319
12Charlton AthleticCharlton135441514119
13Peterborough UnitedPeterborough145362526-118
14Rotherham UnitedRotherham144551416-217
15Stevenage145271015-517
16Blackpool134452125-416
17Bristol Rovers135171520-516
18Northampton TownNorthampton134361720-315
19Wigan AthleticWigan133551211114
20Leyton Orient133281118-711
21Cambridge UnitedCambridge123181117-610
22Crawley TownCrawley133191225-1310
23Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury1422101325-128
24Burton Albion120481325-124
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