Watford vs Birmingham City prediction 01.01.2026 | Championship

That awkward spell from late November into early December feels distant now. Back then, the Hornets picked up one win in five and looked a little short on ideas. Since then, things have clicked. Wins over Stoke City, Leicester City, and Norwich City have put some colour back into the stands at Vicarage Road.

The last time Watford won three straight league games was August 2024, when Javi Gracia’s side pushed it to four. Supporters will quietly hope history repeats itself. This run has lifted the Hornets into the top six, and the table is tighter than it first appears. Just five points separate them from the automatic promotion spots. A win here would not change everything, but it would certainly sharpen belief.

Home form helps the case. Watford are unbeaten in nine at Vicarage Road, winning five and drawing four. That is not a fortress, exactly, but it is reliable. Vivaldo Semedo grabbed his third goal of the season off the bench last time out. Useful impact, though Luca Kjerrumgaard remains the main man up front and is unlikely to lose his place.

Injuries are manageable. Rocco Vata is sidelined with a hamstring issue, and Caleb Wiley is out with an adductor problem. No suspensions to worry about. Still, Imrân Louza and Yasser Baah will need to tread carefully, both sitting on four bookings already.

If Watford are climbing, Birmingham are searching for footing. The Blues have gone six games without a win, and confidence looks fragile. The draw at Derby County last Friday came with some credit, given they played with ten men. That felt like something to build on.

However, when Southampton came to town earlier this week, familiar issues returned. Chris Davies’ side led with around 40 minutes to go, then sat too deep. Once again, the defence cracked. A 1-1 draw meant no clean sheet for the tenth game in a row.

Away form makes this trip feel even tougher. Birmingham have lost five of their last six on the road, often conceding early and chasing games.

Tommy Doyle serves the second match of his three-game ban after the red card against Sheffield, and Christoph Klarer is also unavailable.

Ethan Laird remains out too. Seventeen games missed now with a hamstring injury, and Vicarage Road comes a little too soon for the right-back.