Watford v Man City predictions: Hornets to be stung by in-form visitors

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Watford v Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Manchester City -2
1pt 13-8 general

Team news

Watford
Adam Masina lasted just 12 minutes of his return from injury before being forced back off and looks set to join Nicolas Nkoulou, Francisco Sierralta, Peter Etebo, Ismaila Sarr, Ken Sema, Kwadwo Baah and Ben Foster in the treatment room.

Manchester City
Despite their recent injury issues, Pep Guardiola says only Ferran Torres is not fit to travel, although recent returnees such as Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Ilkay Gundogan are unlikely to start.

Match preview

Claudio Ranieri’s seven games in charge of Watford have seen two shock high-scoring wins and five defeats. The latter looks much more likely when champions Manchester City visit Vicarage Road.

The Citizens have won their last 13 meetings with Watford and the last time the Hornets got the better of City was March 1989. The last three times these sides have faced off, Pep Guardiola’s men have won by an aggregate score of 18-0.

There were plenty of positives in Watford’s performance against Chelsea as they went down gallantly 2-1 to the league leaders, but to back that display up four days later is quite an ask given the opponents at hand.

Claudio Ranieri's side also have an ever-growing number of players out with injuries.

The fixture list has been relentless for the Hornets and they are certain to be targeting the four games after this one in their pursuit of 40 points, with Brentford, Burnley, Crystal Palace and Wolves next on the agenda.

City have bounced back from their surprise defeat to Palace with six wins on the spin in all competitions, scoring 15 times.

Aston Villa did a good job of containing the Citizens for most of their midweek clash but a moment of magic from Bernardo Silva proved the difference between the two teams.

The worry for Watford is that that level of quality is evident throughout this squad, with nine City players having scored two or more league goals already this season.

In their 21 games in all competitions City have had 17 different goalscorers.

Even without Ferran Torres, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Kyle Walker, and with Phil Foden and Jack Grealish fit enough only for the bench, the Citizens were comfortable enough victors against Villa.

In this tie, Guardiola may not rotate as much as he typically would before a Tuesday Champions League tie as City are already guaranteed to top their group, rendering their meeting with Leipzig a dead rubber.

Given the recent record between these two sides and the Hornets' injury issues, it’s hard to see anything but a comfortable City win. Watford have produced some upsets this season, but those were against an injury-plagued Everton side and a Manchester United team in major transition.

It’s difficult to see Guardiola’s winning machine having similar issues and City are taken to defy a two-goal handicap.

Key stat

Manchester City have won the last three meetings between these two by an aggregate score of 18-0

Inside info

Watford

Penalty taker Josh King
Free-kick wizardEmmanuel Dennis
Set-piece aerial threatCraig Cathcart
Card magnetEmmanuel Dennis

Manchester City

Penalty taker Riyad Mahrez
Free-kick wizard Riyad Mahrez
Set-piece aerial threat Ruben Dias
Card magnet Joao Cancelo

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