Watford Watford

Man City Manchester City

WHEN AND WHERE

The Premier League clash gets underway on Saturday 4 December, with kick-off at Vicarage Road scheduled for 17:30 (UK).

Viewers in the UK can watch the action live on Sky Sports Main event, Sky Sports Premier League and SkyGO, with our global TV listings at the foot of this page showing where the game is being broadcast around the world, courtesy of LiveSoccerTV.com. 

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Alistair Mann will provide commentary throughout the 90 minutes. 

Minute-by-minute text updates are available in our Matchday Centre, starting at 15:30 (UK).

For those with push notifications turned on, you’ll get alerted as soon as the teams are announced and goals go in.  

And our Matchday Live show with special guests will begin just before 16:30 (UK).

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Our special guests will then reconvene for a quick half-time debrief before a more in-depth post-match verdict, including their reaction to the full-time thoughts of Pep Guardiola and, time permitting, a player.

The guests will also answer viewer questions throughout the broadcast, with audience participation actively encouraged on Matchday Live. To get in touch, send a WhatsApp to: +447537186538.

Highlights from the match can be found later in the evening, while a full-match replay will also be available from midnight following the game with a CITY+ subscription.

TEAM NEWS

Grealish, Foden among five changes for City

Jack Grealish and Phil Foden both start for City against Watford, while Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte and Ilkay Gundogan also make welcome returns.

And there was more good news with Kevin De Bruyne returning to first team duty this early evening, with the Belgian playmaker named as a sub.

John Stones has also recovered from a slight knock.

Starting XI

Ederson, Walker, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Rodrigo, Gundogan (c), Bernardo, Grealish, Foden, Sterling

Subs: Steffen, Carson, Stones, Ake, Jesus, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Mahrez

Formation and possible  tactics

City will play the usual 4-3-3 formation against Watford.

The excellent Walker has been in top form all season and his return means that Joao Cancelo will switch over to left-back.

Either Laporte or Stones are reliable partners for Ruben Dias, but it is Laporte who gets the nod on this occasion.

Rodrigo will have skipper Gundogan back alongside him in midfield with Bernardo continuing his long first team run.

Raheem Sterling deservedly retains his place, with England colleagues Foden and Grealish making up the front three – though who plays where among that trio could change throughout the 90 minutes.

PEP GUARDIOLA PREVIEW

“What (Watford manager Claudio Ranieri) has done is amazing. I admire this type of person and what he’s done, the passion, energy to go there.”

“It’ll be a pleasure to see him again, the results against him aren’t always good, against Manchester United they played incredibly well, against Chelsea they did a really good game. Always they are tight and close the results.

“Against Leicester they lost but had more chances, every game it’s there, we have to be careful tomorrow and do our game and another good performance.”

Claudio Ranieri Preview

“For my philosophy it is important to attack! I want to attack in every situation, but it is important to play with one, two touches and move quickly. That’s what Manchester City do. It will be very hard but we are ready.

“I’m very confident with my players but of course, I am a very pragmatic manager and I want to take points.

“If you play well in three games and take no points, it’s not good. Now is the moment to get points, we are in the relegation battle and have to react. We have to react every time.”

PREVIOUS MEETING

City cruised to victory in our last league meeting with the Hornets in July 2020 at Vicarage Road.

Raheem Sterling took the game away from the home side before half-time, firing in a rising shot to open the scoring before doubling the advantage by following up his own saved penalty - awarded for a foul on him by Will Hughes.

Phil Foden added a third after Ben Foster had parried a Sterling shot before Aymeric Laporte nodded in from Kevin de Bruyne‘s free-kick.

City now have a 13 straight wins against the Hornets, during which the aggregate score is 50-6 in City’s favour.

LAST TIME OUT

In City’s last game, stunning first half goals from Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva were enough to earn depleted City a crucial 2-1 Premier League win at Aston Villa.

Despite being shorn of several key players through injury, illness and suspension, Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions produced a sumptuous opening 45 minutes at Villa Park capped off by quite superb goals from Portuguese duo Dias and Silva.

A 47th minute effort from Villa’s Ollie Watkins made for a hard-fought second half.

However, City held firm to deservedly seal our 10th league win of the season and so stay hot on the heels of leaders Chelsea.

FORM GUIDE

Pep Guardiola‘s side are the form team in the top-flight, winning four consecutive matches in the league, securing a 2-1 away win over Aston Villa last time out.

Watford fell to a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of league-leaders Chelsea in their last game.

City have 32 points from 14 games, whilst Claudio Ranieri’s side have 13 points from the same number of fixtures.

TV LISTINGS