Bernardo Silva drops back down to the bench while Vincent Kompany is still sidelined as he recovers from a calf injury.
Team:
Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Stones, Mendy, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Sterling, Silva, Aguero, G Jesus
Subs: Bravo, Delph, Mangala, Sane, Danilo, Gundogan, Bernardo
Formation:
City look like they’ll be (more or less) operating a 4-4-2 formation this afternoon, but with Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker raiding down the flanks, Fernandinho could always operate as an additional defender in a three-man central defence.
David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne are likely to play fairly central supplying the ammunition for Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero – expect Sterling to pop up on either wing.
Watford starting XI:
🔢 | #watfordfc XI v @ManCity: Gomes (C); Janmaat, Mariappa, Kabasele, Holebas; Chalobah, Doucouré; Carrillo, Cleverley, Richarlison; Gray. pic.twitter.com/Bf6wFK6b7r
— Watford FC (@WatfordFC) September 16, 2017
Stats, milestones and trivia…
City are unbeaten in 13 Premier League matches
Watford have never beaten the Blues in the Premier League and their last win in this fixture was 28 years ago, in 1989 – since then, City have won nine and drawn to of the subsequent meetings
Watford have started the season unbeaten in four game - the first time they have done so in the top flight.
Sergio Aguero is just five goals short of equalling Eric Brook’s record of 177 goals – he has scored six in four games against the Hornets
Gabriel Jesus has scored 10 goals and created four assists in 14 Premier League appearances
Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Nicolas Otamendi are both nearing a century of appearances for the Blues – Sterling is on 98 appearances, Otamendi 97 and De Bruyne 95.
