Bony joins Clichy, Fernando and Zabaleta on injury list
Manchester City vs Watford
Date: 15.00pm, Saturday 29th August 2015
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Mark Clattenburg Assistants: S Beck, J Collin Fourth Official: J Adcock
Odds: Manchester City 2/9, Draw 7/1, Watford 16/1
Tickets: Available via mcfc.co.uk
TV: Match of the Day (highlights)
Manchester City
Manager: Manuel Pellegrini
Squad (from): Caballero, Hart, Wright, Demichelis, Kolarov, Kompany, Maffeo, Mangala, Otamendi, Sagna, Delph, Fernandinho, Nasri, Navas, Roberts, Silva, Toure, Aguero, Iheanacho
Injured: Zabaleta, Bony, Clichy, Fernando
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Form guide: WWW
Watford
Manager: Enrique Sanchez Flores
Squad (from): Arlauskis, Gilmartin, Gomes, Angella, Belkalem, Cathcart, Hoban, Holebas, Layun, Nyom, Paredes, Prodl, Pudil, Abdi, Anya, Ake, Behrami, Capoue, Dyer, Jurado, Watson, Berghuis, Deeney, Diamanti, Ighalo, Forestieri, Vydra
Injured: Doyley, Ekstrand
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Form guide: DDD
City have a lengthening injury list ahead of the visit of Watford. Wilfried Bony has a gash on his leg, and is ruled out along with Gael Clichy, Fernando and Pablo Zabaleta. Youngsters Pablo Maffeo and Patrick Roberts have been promoted to the squad.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini is conscious that dropped points gainst so-called "lesser" teams cost City dearly last season, and urged his side not to underestimate their opponents.
He warned: “It is a difficult game because they have played three games in the Premier League and have drawn them all. They have a good manager and good players and the greatest mistake we can make in this moment is to think because we have won the last three games we will win the next one.
“We must understand that to play against Watford is the same as against Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester United. All of them are in the Premier League and if you play with less intensity then everything can go wrong, so it is important to continue playing in the same way as we have been and not to make the same mistakes as we did last year.”
City's last home game against Watford ended in a 4-2 victory, in the fourth round of the FA Cup, with Sergio Aguero scoring a hatrick after the vistors took a two goal lead. Overall City have won 9 of the 20 games played against Watford, with 5 draws and 6 defeats.
Prediction: City 3 Watford 0