Watford vs Birmingham City Prediction: Watford have not had the start they hoped for

Watford will welcome Birmingham City at Vicarage Road in Gameweek 6 of the English Championship. Watford have not had the start they hoped for. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

Watford's winless streak in all competitions has now stretched to five matches as they battled to a draw against Coventry City on September 2. The game, which ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw, showcased the impressive skills of Watford's new signing Mileta Rajovic, who scored two goals. However, a late goal from Coventry's Matt Gooden prevented Watford from securing a victory.

Since their comfortable 4-0 win over Queens Park Rangers on the first day of the Championship season, manager Valerien Ismael has been unable to guide the team to another victory. Their winless run includes a disappointing loss to Stevenage in the first round of the EFL Cup.

Ismael, who previously led West Bromwich Albion and Barnsley to success in the second tier, may face the possibility of being sacked if he does not quickly turn around Watford's current position of 18th in the league after five matches.

The departure of Ismaila Sarr, a key player for Watford, has left a significant void in the team's attacking options. Fans will be hoping that players like Tom Ince and the aforementioned Rajovic can step up to fill this gap.

Bachmann; Ngakia, Porteous, Hoedt, Sema; Louza, Sierralta, Dele-Bashiru; Ince, Martins, Rajovic

Birmingham, like Preston North End, remain undefeated at the start of the Championship season, following a 1-1 draw with Millwall. Despite competing with bigger teams such as Leicester City, Southampton, and Leeds United, Birmingham is handling their on-field operations well under the progressive management of Tom Wagner and Knighthead Capital Management. Currently ranked fourth in the Championship, John Eustace's team has earned 11 points from their first five matches, conceding only three goals. While Birmingham fans are aware of the team's tendency to start strong but drop off, this season feels different due to the impressive performances of Jay Stansfield and his teammates. Historically, Birmingham has struggled greatly at Vicarage Road, losing their last five matches against Watford with a total scoreline of 10-0.

Ruddy; Drameh, Sanderson, Long, Buchanan; Bielik, Sunjic, Miyoshi, Stansfield, Anderson; Hogan

Watford has consistently achieved victory in their matches against Birmingham at Vicarage Road in recent times. However, Birmingham arrives with great confidence due to their unbeaten start this season. Ahead of the weekend, Eustace has emphasized the importance of competitiveness from his team in Hertfordshire. It is anticipated that Birmingham will put up a strong fight and secure a draw in this match. We expect the home side to come away with victory.