Birmingham City vs Watford Prediction, Team News, Starting XI

Birmingham City vs Watford at St Andrew’s on Monday, December 1, 2025, in a potentially pivotal mid-season English Championship showdown.

Birmingham comes into the match with 25 points (7 wins, 4 draws, 6 losses), while Watford trails by just one point on 24 (6 wins, 6 draws, 5 losses), making this a big opportunity for both sides to move up the table.

With the campaign still wide open, a victory here could give either team a timely boost as promotion hopes start to take shape.

Birmingham City vs Watford – Date, Time, Venue

Match Info

Competition: EFL Championship 2025–26, Matchday 19
Date: Monday, December 1, 2025
Time: 8:00 PM GMT (UK) / 9:00 PM CET / 3:00 PM ET / 1:30 AM IST (Tues)
Venue: St. Andrew’s @ Birmingham

Birmingham City vs Watford Recent Form

Birmingham City

Last five: L – D – D – L – L
Currently sit bottom half (17th), just above the relegation zone
Have not won in their last 5 league games; last victory was over Hull in early November
Key players: Juninho Bacuna (creative mid), Scott Hogan (leading scorer), Keshi Anderson

Watford

Last five: W – D – W – W – D
Currently 6th, inside playoff places
Unbeaten in 6, with key wins over Millwall, Rotherham, and a draw at Sheffield Wednesday
Key players: Mileta Rajovic (top scorer), Tom Ince (attacking mid), Wesley Hoedt (defensive stability), Ken Sema

Birmingham City vs Watford Head-to-Head

Last season: Birmingham City 1-2 Watford (St. Andrew’s) and Watford 2-0 Birmingham (at Vicarage Road)
Watford unbeaten in last 4 head-to-heads (W3, D1)
Last Birmingham home win against Watford: 2011

Birmingham City vs Watford Predicted Lineups

Birmingham City (4–2–3–1):

Beadle; Osayi-Samuel, Neumann, Klarer, Cochrane; Doyle, Paik; Roberts, Stansfield, Gray; Ducksch

Watford (4–3–3):

Baxter; Ngakia, Keben, Pollock, Bola; Kayembe, Louza, Kyprianou; Doumbia, Maama, Kjerrumgaard

Team News

Birmingham:

Long-term injuries: Tyler Roberts, George Hall
Mark Roberts suspended
Ethan Laird returns at right-back
Lukas Jutkiewicz is pushing for a start after a cameo off the bench

Watford:

No fresh injury concerns
Jeremy Ngakia is expected to continue at right-back
Ismael Kone is a doubt, so Kayembe is likely to continue in midfield
Mileta Rajovic leads the line with Sema and Ince providing support

Tactical Preview & Prediction

Birmingham: Likely to play on the counter, rely on Bacuna’s creativity and Hogan’s runs in behind. Defensive setup with two holding midfielders to bring solidity after recent lapses.
Watford: Favour front-foot, pressing approach; try to dominate midfield with Kayembe and Dele-Bashiru supporting Ince and Sema. Rajovic’s aerial threat gives set-piece edge.

Prediction: Birmingham City 1–2 Watford

Expect Watford’s extra quality and confidence to prove decisive. Birmingham’s struggles in defence and recent goal drought suggest they’ll need a standout moment to get anything, while Watford’s attacking trio should unlock the hosts at least twice.