Championship football returns following the season's first international break as Watford host high-flying Birmingham City at Vicarage Road on Saturday afternoon.

The Hornets have made a mixed start to the campaign under new management in Hertfordshire, while Birmingham feel like a different proposition to years gone by under due to exciting American ownership.

Match preview

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Watford's winless run in all competitions extended to five matches on September 2, with the Hornets sharing the spoils with Coventry City in the East Midlands in a six-goal thriller.

Summer arrival Mileta Rajovic was a standout performer for Watford in the contest at the CBS Arena, as the Danish striker bagged a brace, although a late goal from the Sky Blues' Matt Gooden meant the game ended in a draw.

Since a comfortable 4-0 victory over Gareth Ainsworth's Queens Park Rangers on the opening day of the Championship term, Valerien Ismael is yet to pick up another win, with a five-game winless run including a disappointing defeat at Stevenage in the first round of the EFL Cup.

Former West Bromwich Albion boss Ismael has had both the Baggies and Barnsley competing at the top end of the second tier in recent years, but with Watford currently sitting 18th after five matches, you expect the Frenchman will need to turn his side's fortunes around swiftly or face a potential sacking.

The high-profile departure of Ismaila Sarr has left the Hornets with a sizeable gap in their attacking ranks - a hole which supporters will hope that the likes of Tom Ince and the aforementioned Rajovic can fill.

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Following a 1-1 draw with Millwall at St Andrew's prior to the international break, Birmingham join Preston North End as the only sides who are unbeaten at the beginning of the Championship campaign.

In a second tier full of big players such as Leicester City, Southampton and Leeds United, Blues are happily going about their on-field business under the forward-thinking ownership of Tom Wagner and Knighthead Capital Management.

John Eustace's men are currently fourth in the Championship standings, having collected 11 points from their opening five contests, conceding a division-low tally of three goals in the process.

Bluenoses will not be getting too carried away due to the club's tendency to start campaigns brightly before tailing off significantly, but the 2023-24 term admittedly has a different feel to it due to the early-season form of Jay Stansfield and company.

Birmingham have struggled enormously at Vicarage Road over the past decade, with Saturday's visitors losing their last five matches at Watford's Hertfordshire home by a combined scoreline of 10-0.

Team News

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Watford have used the international break to clear out their medical room, but left-back Jamal Lewis remains a doubt after suffering a thigh injury in August, meaning Ken Sema could start in the hosts' defence once again.

Rajovic is set to retain his place in the Hornets' starting XI alongside Ince and Matheus Martins after scoring a brace against Coventry last time out - the 24-year-old has a physical profile which could help him to be a huge success in the Championship.

Francisco Sierralta is back in Watford's midfield after suffering with some fitness issues in the opening stages of the campaign, and the Chilean should partner Tom Dele-Bashiru and Imran Louza in the middle of the park.

Birmingham have confirmed that Saturday's match will come too soon for injured trio Ethan Laird (hamstring), Siriki Dembele (hamstring) and Tyler Roberts (calf), although they are all expected to be back in training next week.

Midfielder Juninho Bacuna has been busy on international duty for Curacao over the past fortnight, and considering Blues face a schedule of three matches in seven days, Eustace may opt to bench the former Rangers man at Vicarage Road.

Jordan James started alongside the likes of Harry Wilson and Brennan Johnson in Wales' 2-0 win over Latvia during European Championship qualifying, but the 19-year-old is currently being kept out of his club's starting side by Krystian Bielik and Ivan Sunjic.

George Hall is still recovering from a hamstring injury picked up in the EFL Cup defeat against Cardiff City last month, with the England youth international's last start for Blues coming in the loss at Sunderland on April 15.

Watford possible starting lineup:
Bachmann; Ngakia, Porteous, Hoedt, Sema; Louza, Sierralta, Dele-Bashiru; Ince, Martins, Rajovic

Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Ruddy; Drameh, Sanderson, Long, Buchanan; Bielik, Sunjic, Miyoshi, Stansfield, Anderson; Hogan

We say: Watford 1-1 Birmingham City

Watford have a flawless record at Vicarage Road against Birmingham over recent times, but the Hornets are facing a Blues side full of confidence after an unbeaten start.

Eustace has demanded that his men are competitive in Hertfordshire on the weekend, and we are expecting that a battling performance from the visitors will be enough to force a share of the spoils.


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