Watford vs. Man City: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Manchester City travel to Watford on Saturday looking to end a six-game winless run away from home. They haven’t gone that long without an away win since 2011.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side know their away form has to improve if they are to win the Premier League. It’s been an unusual season, with City seven points shy of their tally at this stage last season, yet they remain just three points adrift of leaders Arsenal and still very much in the race for the title.
Watford have had a hugely impressive first half of the season and sit ninth in the table.
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In Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo, they have one of the best pairings in the league so far. There’s a clear chemistry between them, and Watford are a serious threat to City’s shaky back line.
Ighalo’s goal in his last game against Tottenham Hotspur saw him become the first player in the club’s history to score in six successive top-flight matches.
Quique Sanchez Flores will be thrilled with the platform Watford have laid in the first few months of the season, but the true test is whether they can continue it until May and finish inside the top half.
Watford and City have met 13 times in the league, sharing five wins apiece, with the Blues unbeaten in their last eight against the Hornets.
"Massive congratulations to @ighalojude wonderful year 30 goals doesn't show half the work this guy does 👏🏾👏🏾 pic.twitter.com/Clx3B96LIa
— Troy Deeney (@T_Deeney) December 29, 2015"
Date: Saturday, January 2
Kick-off: 5:30 p.m. GMT/12:30 p.m. ET
TV Listings: Sky Sports 1 (UK) & NBC Sports Live Extra (US)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK)
"Not long to wait now. Here's what lies ahead in #BPL Matchweek 20... pic.twitter.com/Kocy6pwbUr
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 1, 2016"
Form Guide (last 5 games)
Watford
Watford 1-2 Tottenham
Chelsea 2-2 Watford
Watford 3-0 Liverpool
Sunderland 0-1 Watford
Watford 2-0 Norwich City
Manchester City
Leicester 0-0 Manchester City
Manchester City 4-1 Sunderland
Arsenal 2-1 City
Manchester City 2-1 Swansea
Manchester City 4-2 Borussia Monchengladbach (Champions League)
"#HappyNewYear everyone! Here's how the 1st #BPL table of 2016 is looking... pic.twitter.com/cRyVpXOuQv
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 1, 2016"
Predicted Formations
Watford
Watford are without Nathan Ake, who is starting a three-match ban, while Joel Ekstrand (knee) remains sidelined.
"WATFORD WEEKEND: Quique & Behrami preview #watfordfc v @MCFC plus Ighalo on a superb 2015, now on Hornets PlayerHD. https://t.co/VY3p6ARCB1
— Watford FC (@WatfordFC) January 1, 2016"
Watford (from): Arlauskis, Gomes, Belkalem, Britos, Cathcart, Holebas, Nyom, Paredes, Prodl, Abdi, Anya, Behrami, Capoue, Dyer, Guedioura, Jurado, Watson, Berghuis, Deeney, Diamanti, Ibarbo, Ighalo, Oulare.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Gomes; Nyom, Prodl, Britos, Holebas; Capoue, Watson; Abdi, Deeney, Jurado; Ighalo
Manchester City
Pellegrini is without Vincent Kompany, whose return from an eight-game absence against Sunderland lasted just nine minutes before his calf injury reoccurred. Samir Nasri also remains out.
".@pablo_zabaleta relieved to be back & looking forward to returning to action Zaba: https://t.co/pPqtxMeQGj #mcfc pic.twitter.com/brnsuCV3BI
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) January 1, 2016"
Manchester City (from): Caballero, Hart, Wright, Clichy, Demichelis, Kolarov, Mangala, Otamendi, Sagna, Zabaleta, De Bruyne, Delph, Fernandinho, Fernando, Navas, Roberts, Silva, Toure, Zuculini, Aguero, Bony.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Hart; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Mangala, Clichy; Fernandinho, Toure; De Bruyne, Silva, Sterling; Aguero
Players To Watch
Watford: Odion Ighalo
Ighalo's 14 league goals so far this season are testament to his quality.
He's scored in six straight matches—not an easy thing to do in the English top flight.
His movement has been excellent all season, with Deeney the perfect foil for his nimble, fleet-of-foot style. He's technically excellent, capable of beating players and creating space for himself.
Including his goals in Watford's Championship campaign last season, Ighalo scored 30 goals in 2015—more than any other player in English football.
Manchester City: Sergio Aguero
He often takes time to return to full match sharpness after a long injury layoff, but Sergio Aguero looks to be revving up again.
He played another hour against Leicester earlier in the week and showed flashes of his explosiveness.
When he's 100 per cent fit and fully firing, there's no better striker in the Premier League.
The first half of the season has pretty much been a write-off for him. If he can get back to his best and stay injury-free, City's chances of winning the title increase dramatically.
Key Battle
Troy Deeney vs. Eliaquim Mangala
It's time for Eliaquim Mangala to show some consistency.
The Frenchman has struggled for form since his move from Porto in 2014, often veering from exceptional to desperately poor within the same game.
In City's last match against Leicester, he impressed, and he will now look to take that display into the second half of the season.
One of his finest performances in a City shirt came against Everton earlier in the season, where he used his immense physical strength to nullify Romelu Lukaku. He will need a repeat on Saturday when he lines up against Deeney.
The Watford man has been excellent this season and is one of the best back-to-goal forwards around.
Mangala will have his hands full.
"Most #BPL goals in 2015 - 79 Most shots in 2015 - 487 Most shots on target in 2015 - 246 All by @MCFC pic.twitter.com/HCYfeIP3Y0
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 31, 2015"
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Watford: +468
City: -169
Draw: +278
"#HappyNewYear from everyone at Manchester City! #mcfc pic.twitter.com/0GdwCxGMOo
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) December 31, 2015"
Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.
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