![\"Demarai](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_JS389457299.jpg\")
Demarai Gray scored a superb goal for Blues against Watford<\/p>\nBirmingham City beat Watford 2-1 on Monday night thanks to goals from Paik Seung-ho and Demarai Gray<\/p>\n
22:06, 01 Dec 2025Updated 22:11, 01 Dec 2025<\/p>\n
Demarai Gray scored a superb goal for Blues against Watford<\/p>\n
Birmingham City maintained their impressive home record to down Watford and climb up to seventh in the Championship table on Monday night.<\/p>\n
First half screamers from Paik Seung-ho<\/a> and Demarai Gray put Blues<\/a> on course for a sixth home win from nine.<\/p>\n Othmane Maamma set up a tense finale by reducing the arrears for Watford just after the hour mark but Blues hung on.<\/p>\n Christoph Klarer started this game on four yellow cards, meaning another would result in a ban, and it was obvious why his manager Chris Davies<\/a> is eager for him to avoid that inside 10 minutes.<\/p>\n Marc Bola breached Blues\u2019 right side and smashed the ball across goal in the direction of Luca Kjerrumgaard. The Watford striker was ready to tap in his sixth Championship goal of the season when Klarer intercepted.<\/p>\n Hector Kyprianou collected the game\u2019s first caution 20 minutes in for a high challenge on Paik. Replays showed Kyprianou\u2019s studs connected with Paik\u2019s knee and the Watford midfielder was very lucky not to be sent off.<\/p>\n Paik exacted revenge on Kyprianou by winning a 50-50 challenge 30 minutes in, before advancing to the edge of Watford\u2019s penalty area and lashing the ball into the corner for his fourth goal of the season.<\/p>\n Gray produced an even better finish just before half-time to give Blues a two-goal cushion. The left-winger collected a poked pass from Jay Stansfield before cutting onto his right foot and unleashing an unstoppable drive into the top corner. Replays from behind the goal show a picture perfect finish from Gray.<\/p>\n Watford were always going to muster a response and it was no surprise that it came via Bola down their left.<\/p>\n The left-back drifted in behind Bright Osayi-Samuel to collect Imran Louza\u2019s pinpoint pass and his shot was goal-bound but James Beadle was equal to it.<\/p>\n Blues soon had the chance to make it 3-0 when they caught Watford trying to play out from the back. Patrick Roberts played in Marvin Ducksch but the in-form striker miscued his first-time finish from the penalty spot.<\/p>\n Watford fired another warning shot just before the hour when Jeremy Ngakia\u2019s cross was lifted over by Maamma from close range.<\/p>\n Maamma wasn\u2019t so charitable when his next opportunity arrived in the 61st minute. The Moroccan guided the ball beyond Beadle after being found by a left-wing cut-back and the Hornets had hope.<\/p>\n Substitute Lyndon Dykes got the better of Kevin Keben and had Stansfield for company in a chance to put the game to bed. Much to the frustration of the baying Tilton, Dykes over-hit his pass to Stansfield and the chance was wasted.<\/p>\n Watford kept coming and at times Blues were reduced to defending their 18-yard box but they clung on to a precious three points.<\/p>\n Get the latest Blues headlines sent straight to your phone<\/p>\n BirminghamLive has its very own Birmingham City<\/a> WhatsApp community to deliver the latest headlines straight to your phone. Just click this link<\/a> to receive daily Blues content and breaking news. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don\u2019t like our community, you can check out any time you like. Click on the name at the top of your screen while in WhatsApp and click ‘Exit Group’. Read our Privacy Notice.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n James Beadle 7<\/strong><\/p>\n Beadle made a really good save to deny Bola at the start of the second half to preserve Blues’ two-goal lead.<\/p>\n Bright Osayi-Samuel 6<\/strong><\/p>\n It was always going to be tough to replicate Iwata having not played much of late and Osayi-Samuel never really had the right side under control. Watford warned Blues enough times before the cross arrived on the hour from that side for Maamma to score. Osayi-Samuel didn\u2019t give in and ran until he physically couldn\u2019t anymore.<\/p>\n Phil Neumann 7<\/strong><\/p>\n If Klarer wasn\u2019t there, Neumann was. Blues have established a solid defensive pairing now and Neumann was happy to dig in and defend when Watford gained a foothold after half-time.<\/p>\n Christoph Klarer 7.5<\/strong><\/p>\n Watford\u2019s starting front two were sizeable units but Klarer towered above them to win header after header. The Blues captain is starting to look more comfortable playing out onto his left side too.<\/p>\n Alex Cochrane 7.5<\/strong><\/p>\n The left-back looks so assured in his game now. Cochrane didn\u2019t concede many crosses on his side and fed the ball forward with his excellent left peg.<\/p>\n Tommy Doyle 8<\/strong><\/p>\n Someone (probably me) should tally up the number of times Doyle regains possession through a tackle or by landing on a loose ball. His positioning always seems to be spot on. Then it\u2019s about what you can do with the ball and few at this level possess more quality than Doyle.<\/p>\n Paik Seung-ho 8<\/strong><\/p>\n There was a beautiful irony to Paik bulldozing his way through a challenge with Kyprianou, minutes after the Watford player probably should have been dismissed for a foul on him, and smashing the opener into the corner. A battling display from Blues\u2019 number eight that wasn\u2019t short on quality.<\/p>\n Patrick Roberts 7<\/strong><\/p>\n One first-time pass to Ducksch in the opening exchanges of the second half deserved a better finish. Roberts played his position slightly differently with Osayi-Samuel behind him.<\/p>\n Jay Stansfield 8*<\/strong><\/p>\n Stansfield is at his very best when there\u2019s an edge to him on a football field. One minute he had half of Watford\u2019s team rattled, the next he was riding challenges to set up Gray\u2019s brilliant second goal.<\/p>\n Demarai Gray 8<\/strong><\/p>\n Gray is getting into the groove now and the winger surely won\u2019t score a sweeter strike in the remainder of the season. The Brummie\u2019s 43rd minute striker was inch-perfect and one so sweet that you wish you could turn off the crowd noise to hear it hit the net.<\/p>\n Marvin Ducksch 7<\/strong><\/p>\n Ducksch was quieter than he has been in recent home games but you can see his appreciation of space and his teammates\u2019 positions. There is always a thought to his play. The striker will be disappointed not to have kept his scoring streak going with what looked to be a relatively simple finish for a player of his quality.<\/p>\n Keshi Anderson (for Gray, 69) 6<\/strong><\/p>\n Anderson shored things up down Blues\u2019 left and provided some fresh legs to drive his team forward.<\/p>\n Alfons Sampsted (for Osayi-Samuel, 73) 6<\/strong><\/p>\n A rare league game for Sampsted to replace the spent Osayi-Samuel. Sampsted might get more game-time next month when Osayi-Samuel goes away for the Africa Cup of Nations.<\/p>\n Lyndon Dykes (for Ducksch), 73) 6<\/strong><\/p>\n Dykes should have found Stansfield after brilliantly winning the ball from Keben. Still, Dykes did his job to help Blues see the game out.<\/p>\n Marc Leonard (for Stansfield, 90\u2019) N\/A<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Paik](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_JS389456959.jpg\")
Paik Seung-ho scored a superb opener for Blues<\/p>\n![\"Tempers](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_JS389456837.jpg\")
Jay Stansfield<\/p>\n![\"Birmingham](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_JS389455972.jpg\")
Marvin DuckschSUBS<\/p>\n