Watford vs Manchester City preview: Blues likely to be unchanged for final game of the season

By Ric Turner, Fri 19 May 2017 14:58


Watford vs Manchester City preview: Blues likely to be unchanged for final game of the seasonVictory at Vicarage Road will secure a third place finish for the Blues in Guardiola's debut season

Watford vs Manchester City

Competition: F.A. Premier League

Date: 3.00pm, Sunday 21st May 2017

Venue: Vicarage Road, Watford

Referee: Jonathan Moss Assistants: C Hatzidakis, A Halliday Fourth Official: K Friend

Odds: Watford 10/1, Draw 5/1, City 3/10

Tickets: Sold out

TV: Sky Sports

Watford

Manager: Walter Mazzarri

Squad (from): Gomes, Pantilimon, Britos, Holebas, Doucoure, Behrami, Amrabat, Watson, Capoue, Deeney, Success, Zuniga, Dja Djdje, Janmaat, Okaka, Mariappa, Cleverley, Niang

Injured: Cathcart, Kaboul, Zarate, Pereyra, Kabasele

Doubtful: Britos

Suspended: Prodl

Form guide: LLLLL

Manchester City

Manager: Pep Guardiola

Squad (from): Caballero, Gunn, Clichy, Kolarov, Kompany, Otamendi, Sagna, Stones, Zabaleta, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Fernando, Garcia, Navas, Nolito, Sane, Silva, Sterling, Toure, Aguero, Iheanacho, Jesus

Injured: Bravo, Gundogan, Delph

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Form guide: WWWDD

Pep Guardiola is likely to name an unchanged team as City look to secure a thrud place finish by winning at Vicarage Road. Fabian Delph, Claudio Bravo and Ilkay Gundogan are the only absentees through injury. Watford manager Walter Mazarri will leave the club at the end of the season following a disappointing campaign, and although the hosts effectively have nothing to play for Guardiola is not taking anything for granted.

“It’s a crucial game for us, absolutely a final,” he said.

“It’s in our hands. Just look at we have to do, win the game against a team who at home over the season made a good result.

“So tomorrow we travel to London to do that.

“Every game is pressure, every game we play with everything.

“It’s in our hands. It depends not on Arsenal or Liverpool. We have to go there and win the game.”

City's last away game at Watford ended in a 2-1 win, with Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero scoring for the Blues. Overall City have won 12 of the 23 games played against the Hornets, with 5 draws and 6 defeats.

Odds: Man City are 3/10 favourites to win at Vicarage Road, according to Oddschecker, with Watford priced at 13/1 and the draw available at 11/2.

Sergio Aguero is the favourite to open the scoring at 13/5 (this could be well worth a punt using this Ladbrokes £50 free bet offer), with odds of 11/4 available on Gabriel Jesus and Troy Deeney the top choice for the hosts at 12/1.

Predicted line-up: Caballero, Fernandinho, Otamendi, Kompany, Kolarov, Toure, Silva, De Bruyne, Jesus, Sane, Aguero

Score prediction: Watford 1 City 3