In what is turning into possibly the most thrilling three-way race for the Premier League title in a generation, there will be no room for error for the reigning Premier League champions as they take on Claudio Ranieri’s Watford FC at Vicarage Road.
City has a tremendous record against the Hornets and that should hold them in good stead. The Citizens have actually never lost to Watford and they have won their last ten against them with an aggregate score of 37-4. They have actually scored 59 goals, across all competitions, against Watford since they last suffered defeat to them. That is an astonishing average of over three goals per game.
If you are a Watford fan, maybe find something else to do on Saturday – because this likely won’t go well for you.
Watford vs Manchester City FYIs:
Kick-off time: 5.30 PM GMT, 4th December 2021
Man City Starting XI Prediction: go here
Premier League Preview Pod: go here
Form Guide (All Competitions): Watford (LLWLL) Man City (WWWWW)
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s have a look at the team news for the reigning champs.
It was a mixed bag when the team news dropped for the Citizen’s last match against Aston Villa. Jack Grealish and Phil Foden returned from injury layoffs, but Ilkay Gundogan, John Stones, and Kyle Walker all missed out. All three are allegedly nursing niggling injuries and are huge doubts for the trip to Vicarage Road.
Kevin De Bruyne is a 50/50 chance to return for this clash.
The Belgian has finally tested negative for COVID after missing the last few games since the international break, but it is thought that the clash with Watford will probably arrive a bit too soon for him to return to the starting lineup.
Elsewhere, the diagnosis for Ferran Torres remains the same. He is unlikely to return to first-team action until early next year. In more positive news, Aymeric Laporte will return to the fold after serving his one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation in the Premier League.
Any other result than a comfortable victory for City would be a complete and utter shock here. Look for the game to be finished by half-time.