Watford vs Manchester City: Premier League preview and confirmed teams as Raheem Sterling is on the bench

Watford vs Manchester City: Premier League preview and confirmed teams as Raheem Sterling is on the bench
Manchester City face Watford at Vicarage Road on Tuesday evening knowing the pressure to keep up the pace at the top of the Premier League is back on them.Divock Origi’s stoppage-time winner in Liverpool’s Merseyside derby win over Everton means City’s lead at the top stands at just two points.2

Aguero misses the Watford game

They face a Hornets side who have started to fade slightly after their brilliant start to the season saw them briefly enter the Champions League places.Defeat away at Leicester City on Saturday means they are sitting in tenth place, a healthy position before a hectic Christmas period.

What the managers are saying

Watford head coach Javi Gracia:“We need to be more efficient and finish better. In the last games the feeling is we are not getting the reward the team sometimes deserves.2

Gracia could well be boosted by the return of Tom Cleverly

“We play against Manchester City and we know it will be a very demanding game. But playing at home with the support of our fans I am sure we are able to have a good performance.”Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wants even more from Raheem Sterling:“He can do better. We are so delighted with what he’s done in three years but he can do better.“He can be more consistent – first controls, his receptions, many, many things. I’ve said many times we are delighted but he can do better.”

MATCH FACTS

• Watford have lost three of their last four home league games
• Pep Guardiola’s men meanwhile, are unbeaten in their last 20 top-flight apperances
• City are currently enjoying an eight-match winning run against Watford in all competitions
• The Hornetscould lose three Premier League matches in a row for the first time under Javier Gracia
• The reigning champions could equal the club top-flight record of 14 consecutive away matches without defeat, set from April to December 2017

Confirmed teams

Javi Gracia has made three changes to his Hornets side that lost to Leicester at the weekend.There are places for Nathaniel Chalobah, who is making just his second Premier League start of the season as well as Christian Kabasele and Troy Deeney.They come in for Etienne Capoue who was sent off against the Foxes, Adrian Mariappa and Gerard Deulofeu.Meanwhile, City have also made some changes as Riyad Mahrez comes in for Raheem Sterling as Pep Guardiola looks to rotate his squad at a busy time of year.David Silva replaces Ilkay Gundogan while John Stones and Vincent Kompany come in for Aymeric Laporte and Nicolas Otamendi.Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus retains his place in the starting XI as Sergio Aguero is not deemed fit enough to play.Watford: Foster; Femenia, Kabasele, Cathcart, Holebas; Doucoure, Chalobah, Hughes, Pereyra; Deeney, SuccessSubs:Gomes, Mariappa, Deulofeu, Masina, Gray, Quina, WilmotManchester City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Kompany, Delph; Fernandinho, Bernardo, D Silva; Mahrez, Sane, JesusSubs:Danilo, Sterling, Gundogan, Laporte, Otamendi, Foden, Muric

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