Manchester City v Watford Preview

This is the “meaty” bit of the season according to Pep Guardiola and it is clear that Manchester City games are coming thick and fast.

The Watford game is probably the match I am most worried about in the coming run of fixtures. The Chelsea game is potentially open enough to mean we have a chance to secure a result if we play at our best, The Watford game is likely to be a bruising physical contest, where we may get battered with power throughout. We are coming into this game with a number of niggly injuries and have looked tired in recent games.

This is likely to be another of those games where when we line up alongside them at kick off we will look like a bunch of mascots in comparison. Every one of their players will be like Ivan Drago in Rocky and we will look like the cast of Harry Potter in comparison.

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If all things were equal, if we had our best eleven players available I would be more confident going into this match. But as it stands we do will not have that luxury and may well be faced with the kind of game where we will have to grind out a result.

Watford are not coming into this game on any run of form. If anything that may make the result more of a problem. They are a team who believe they can cause an upset, seeing us look somewhat weakened through injury and squad rotation and fancying their chances. Remember how they roughed up Arsenal last season with glee? This is a match where not only do we need to secure 3 points but we also need to come through without further injury.

Sergio Aguero looks like being subject to a late fitness test. All things told this may well be the kind of match where we hold him back for the Chelsea game so he can renew his acquaintance with David Luiz. This will leave our goal threat being Gabriel Jesus. This is a game where we will need a performance from him.

It is my hope that Guardiola goes with his strongest available team to give us the best chance of winning and to believe that there will be enough recovery time between Tuesday evening and Saturday evening. I therefore hope Fabian Delph and Kyle Walker will start as full backs and that Aymeric Laporte will be partnered again by Otamendi in central defence.

Fernandinho will have to find the legs to play again. I think David Silva and Bernardo Silva should be reunited in midfield. I would look to Mahrez and Sane on the wings with Gabriel Jesus in the middle. Mahrez has had success against Watford and provides Sterling with some rest prior to Chelsea game.

It is my view that playing this team will give us the best opportunity to take 3 points and to counter the physical threat posed by Watford.

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Manchester City Predicted XI Formation 4-3-3

Goalkeeper

Ederson

Defence

Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Delph

Midfield

Fernandinho, Bernardo, Silva

Attack

Sane, Mahrez, Jesus