Tom Ince scored a hat-trick as Watford made it four successive Championship wins with a comprehensive victory over a lacklustre Birmingham City.
Ince volleyed the Hornets in front early on from Giorgi Chakvetadze’s floated pass.
The 33-year-old doubled their lead before the break, calmly slotting home at the second attempt after Blues keeper James Beadle parried his initial shot.
And he completed his hat-trick on the hour with an emphatic finish.
Defeat at Vicarage Road extended Birmingham’s winless run to seven games since beating Watford at St Andrew’s at the start of December.
In contrast, Watford have now won five games in a seven-match unbeaten run following that loss to climb up to fourth.
And they continued their fine record against Birmingham, beating them for the seventh successive home league game without conceding.
The outcome rarely looked in doubt from the moment Ince fired the hosts into a ninth-minute lead, calmly finishing first time from eight yards as Chakvetadze’s pass over the Birmingham defence dropped into his path.
Ince then chipped into the side-netting from a tight angle following an overhit Chakvetadze pass before doubling the lead by converting Othmane Maamma’s cross at the second attempt.
His first league hat-trick since December 2015 was complete when he drilled home Nestory Irankunda’s pass, and he should have had a fourth when he side-footed over shortly afterwards.
Birmingham, who were without leading scorer Jay Stansfield because of injury, only threatened fleetingly, with Patrick Roberts failing to trouble home keeper Egil Selvik with their best openings.
Blues, who have won only two away games in the league since returning to the Championship this season, slip to 16th in the table.
And this defeat ensured their miserable record on New Year’s Day continued.
They have not won a league game on 1 January since winning at Mansfield in 1991 – the longest ongoing winless streak on the date of any team in England’s top four tiers.
Watford boss Javi Gracia told BBC Three Counties Radio:
“I told the players at the end of the game that I love to work at Christmas. It’s a good moment for the team, having good performances at home and away and getting good results.
“It’s been amazing for us and help us to believe in all the things we are going and believe in the power of the squad. We just need to keep going.
“We were playing against a very good team and it’s not easy to win 3-0 against Birmingham, the same way we did against Middlesbrough.
“It’s also a good thing to get another clean sheet. It’s important because to get a clean sheet we have had to defend well while creating a lot of chances at the same time.”
Birmingham City boss Chris Davies told BBC Radio WM:
“It was a performance that was nowhere near the level required to win a football match. In the first half it didn’t seem there was a lot in the match at all, but the two times they got into our box they scored such easy goals.
“It seemed strange to be 2-0 down at half-time considering, but we certainly didn’t do enough defensively in those key moments.
“In the second half it was a case of trying to bring a bit of energy and trying to add something to change the dynamics slightly, but it was to no avail.
“We didn’t improve our energy, we didn’t improve our fluidity, we didn’t improve our threat and we obviously still looked susceptible to the counter-attack, which is how they ended up scoring their third goal.
“I can only apologise to the fans for that performance, it was nowhere near the level required form a Birmingham City team and team I’m trying to lead here. It was a really disappointing day.”
