Watford vs Birmingham prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-03-13 19:45.
It was “a disappointing afternoon for everyone” according to new Watford manager Chris Wilder as the team’s woes continued with a 1-0 loss away to bottom-half side Queens Park Rangers on his debut at the club. It was a result that leaves them by no means assured of bouncing back against lowly ranked Birmingham City, particularly after Watford fell earlier in the season at home to similarly struggling clubs such as Swansea (L 2-1) as well as QPR themselves (L 3-2).
In fact, Watford now lament one of the league’s worst win rates (36%) in this Championship season when starting as favourites, so they only have themselves to blame for playoffs football appearing much further away than the several points gap at the end of last round would otherwise suggest. That poor form is beginning to take its toll, with Wilder identifying “fragility” and “a lack of confidence” as his main concerns after just one win from their last nine league outings (D5, L3).
Birmingham are likely assured of their place in the next Championship after their first league win in a month, a 2-0 success at home to dreadful travellers Rotherham United which increased their buffer from the relegation zone to a healthy ten points. But they’re going to have to become the first visiting side to win at Watford in 2023 if they want to have any chance of increasing that to 13 points.
Whilst their home and away records are comparatively similar, the Blues have now taken points from the majority of Championship away games as the pre-match underdogs (W5, D3, L7) following their previous such outing, a 1-1 draw at last-placed Wigan. That was the first of what bullish boss John Eustace described as two “very good performances”, underlining his belief that their four-game losing streak in February is now behind them.
Players to watch: Ismaïla Sarr could be key to Watford’s fortunes, having delivered a goal or assist in each of their last three Championship wins. Birmingham could do with Scott Hogan finding the net again if he starts, particularly as his last three goals were all within the opening 15 minutes (W2, D1).
Hot stat: Just three of the last 13 Championship matches featuring either club produced more than 2.5 total goals.