MX23RW : Friday, January 10 11:13:55| >> :120:50041:50041:
[monks data]
Watford logo
Championship | Gameweek 38
Mar 20, 2021 at 3pm UK
Vicarage Road
Birmingham logo

Watford
3 - 0
Birmingham

Sema (4'), Chalobah (55'), Gray (80')
Success (44')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Pedersen (35')

Xisco Munoz "very happy" with Nathaniel Chalobah in Birmingham win

Xisco Munoz
© Reuters
New Birmingham manager Lee Bowyer was upbeat in spite of his side's defeat.

Watford manager Xisco Munoz insisted that his players need rest over the upcoming international break even if it risks disrupting the momentum that has propelled them into the automatic promotion places.

The Spaniard's side showed no fatigue in their 3-0 victory over relegation-threatened Birmingham City at Vicarage Road for a fifth successive Championship victory.

Munoz said: "I am very happy with everyone after five wins in a row, the first time for us in the Championship, but give me one day free, please. The Championship is very hard.

"We have a little more time for work now. I don't know if it's good or not, but I know that the players need their rest.

"I am lucky, believe me, that I have 24 players and it doesn't matter who plays when you see players give 100 per cent focus in our challenge for promotion.

"Our fans enjoy the fact that our players give everything. Everyone gives their best in attack and in defence. Because of that, we have one clean sheet more."

Munoz praised new captain Nathaniel Chalobah, who scored Watford's second goal but, just as importantly, made two crucial blocks at the other end.

Munoz added: " I was very happy with him. I am lucky that I have so many good players. Nathaniel is just one of the important players in the squad.

"I'm not thinking about the fact that we won 3-0 to help our goal difference. I am happy just that we have a good team and that we are creating chances. The most important thing is to keep working hard until the final day of the season."

Ken Sema had given Watford an early lead, with Chalobah and Andre Gray putting the results beyond doubt.

New Birmingham manager Lee Bowyer was upbeat in spite of his side's defeat three days after beating another promotion-chasing side in Reading.

Bowyer said: "Watford have come down from the Premier League and you can tell the difference. For me they are going straight back up.

"You could tell the difference in every aspect of their game, particularly the physicality of their defending and the way they defended their box.

"They kept getting through our press for the first 10, 15 minutes, but we changed it and at times we looked more likely the team to score next. It was just the quality. Watford were more clinical, weren't they?

"But we moved the ball really well today and Watford couldn't get near us at times. If you are going to put in performances like that against top, top sides then it should give us an edge against the teams around us."

Bowyer hinted that the unrelenting nature of this year's Championship schedule will force him to utilise his squad for the remainder of the season. He is adamant he will not sacrifice certain fixtures, however.

Bowyer added: "I should have maybe changed the side after Wednesday's win against Reading because we looked sluggish in the first half.

"But we've just gone toe to toe with a top side. There are certain players you can't rest and these games are still winnable. I think we can beat Swansea next.

"I won't pick and choose games to play my best team but if we are playing Wednesday and Saturday, I will definitely freshen it up, no matter who we're playing.

"Now I've got a bit of time to work with the players. We will have time to work on our finishing and defending set pieces."

Bowyer insisted that the banner that was trailed behind a plane over Vicarage Road protesting against Birmingham Chief Executive Xuandong Ren was not his concern.

He said: "My job is on the football side and that's all I'll concentrate on. What goes on off the pitch is something I can't control."

ID:440118: cacheID:440118:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5537:
Written by
P A
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Cardiff City manager Mick McCarthy pictured on February 16, 2021
Read Next:
Saturday's Championship predictions including Swansea City vs. Cardiff
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Birmingham CityBirmingham23165241172453
2Wycombe WanderersWycombe25156450272351
3Wrexham25156437181951
4Huddersfield TownHuddersfield24145537191847
5Barnsley2512673933642
6Reading2412573933641
7Stockport CountyStockport25108737271038
8Leyton Orient24114932221037
9Mansfield TownMansfield2311483126537
10Bolton WanderersBolton2311483534137
11Charlton AthleticCharlton239772721634
12Lincoln CityLincoln258892830-232
13Stevenage238781820-231
14Exeter CityExeter2494112831-331
15Blackpool247983235-330
16Rotherham UnitedRotherham237792123-228
17Wigan AthleticWigan2376102123-227
18Northampton TownNorthampton2568112439-1526
19Peterborough UnitedPeterborough2474134146-525
20Bristol Rovers2474132238-1625
21Crawley TownCrawley2355132443-1920
22Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury2445152444-2017
23Cambridge UnitedCambridge2445152243-2117
24Burton Albion2428142038-1814


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!