2025-26 Sky Bet Championship: Week 18 – Monday

Birmingham City meet Watford in a huge Sky Bet Championship clash in the race for the play-offs. 

Victory would lift Birmingham up to seventh in the table on goal difference from Hull City, whilst Watford can leapfrog their hosts into ninth position.

 

Team News

Birmingham have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 1-1 draw at West Brom in midweek.

Lee Buchanan, Scott Wright (both knee) and Ethan Laird (hamstring) remain absent.

Watford have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 1-1 draw at home to Preston in midweek.

Kwadwo Baah, Rocco Vatta (both hamstring), Egil Selvik (shoulder), Caleb Wiley (shoulder) and Jack Grieves (knee) remain absent.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Birmingham host Watford at St Andrews’ on Monday 1 December at 8pm GMT, live on Sky Sports in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Birmingham have claimed just one point in their last seven meetings against Watford (D1, L6).
• Watford have lost just one of their last six visits to Birmingham (W4, D1, L1).
• Two of Watford’s last three trips to Birmingham City ended in 1-0 victories.
• Marvin Ducksch has scored three goals in Birmingham’s last two matches (W1, D1).
• Watford have kept one clean sheet in their last five matches (W2, D3).

 

Prediction

With one defeat in their last five matches during which they recorded three comfortable home wins, Birmingham can feel confident coming into this game after they snatched a draw in an evenly-matched battle at West Brom, where they could of lost focus after conceding early yet dug in for a deserved point.

Watford meanwhile were held at home by Preston in a game which they should of won given their dominance but crucially haven’t lost in five now, although they need to start putting successive wins together if want to start climbing the table further.

I however do think that this could be a close game because both teams do look well-organised attacking wise but aren’t totally solid defensively, so a draw would be a fair call.

Prediction: Birmingham City 1-1 Watford

Result: Birmingham City 2-1 Watford