‘Beat Them Before’ – Birmingham City Star Oozes Confidence For Watford Clash | OneFootball

Birmingham City defender Alfons Sampsted has brushed off concerns about Blues’ away form and is confident they can win away at Watford on New Year’s Day.

Chris Davies’ men sit 15th in the Championship at the halfway point, with the boss insisting that nothing in the league should intimidate them and highlighting the squad’s competitiveness so far this season.

St Andrew’s has been a fortress for Blues in the league this season and they have only suffered only one home defeat.

However, their away form has raised concerns, with loan signing Patrick Roberts stressing the need for improvement on the road as the team have lost eight of 12 matches, with only Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday posting worse records.

Sampsted’s involvement this season has been limited, featuring in just five of the 26 games, with only one start in the Championship, coming in the home clash against Southampton on Monday where he played the full 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw.

The 27-year-old acknowledged the difficulties Birmingham have encountered away from home but underlined the squad’s confidence in their quality and competitiveness.

He stated that the team believe they can match any side in the division and pointed to their 2-1 victory over Watford at St Andrew’s in early December as evidence that travelling to Vicarage Road should not present any added intimidation.

Sampsted told Blues+ (0:46): “Yes, it’s true. We’ve had some tough away results, but we know we’re a good team.

“We know we can play against anyone in this league.

“We’ve played at Watford before.

“We beat them before, so going away to Watford shouldn’t be more different than we’re playing at their ground instead of our own.”

The Iceland international reflected on the challenge of returning to the starting lineup after limited involvement this season, noting the difficulty of stepping in following a long spell on the bench.

Sampsted emphasised that he felt physically prepared and satisfied with his contribution on his return, expressing overall contentment with his performance.

“It’s always hard to come back into the starting lineup after a long time on the bench, or even just coming on.

“But personally, I felt I was up to speed.

“I managed to contribute what I was supposed to and, all in all, happy.”

The Blues’ defender acknowledged the realities of being a squad player, noting that while he may not always get as much game time as he would like, he remains ready to contribute whenever called upon.

When asked about his limited minutes this season, he said: “Yes, that’s the life of a footballer sometimes.

“I’m one of the 25 that’s registered in the group, and that means I have to be ready whenever I’m called upon.

“Tonight, I was, wanted to help us get the three points, but we’ll have to take the one.”

Birmingham will be looking to return to winning ways and climb closer to the playoff spots in the Championship, with captain Christoph Klarer acknowledging that while the club aim for big things, the road may not always be smooth.

Blues will also look to improve their away record and end a six-match winless run when they travel to Vicarage Road to face Watford on New Year’s Day.