Manchester City vs Watford Prediction: Manchester City welcome Championship side Watford to the Etihad Stadium in the third round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday, with the Premier League champions aiming to return to their dominant form in this competition.
Pep Guardiola’s side, known for their silverware-laden years, will look to avoid an early exit as they face a Watford team eager to bounce back from recent struggles in the league. While City are likely to rotate their squad, the fixture presents an uphill battle for Watford, who have lost their last 15 encounters with the Citizens.
MCI vs WAT Match Info:
- Date: 25th September, 2024
- Kick-off time: 12:30 PM IST
- Location: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
MCI vs WAT Live:
- Watch live on Disney Hotstar on OTT platform
Manchester City vs Watford Prediction
- ✅ More than 1 goal – Manchester City to score first.
- ✅ Erling Haaland to score for Manchester City.
- ✅ Bayo to score for Watford.
- ✅ Yellow cards – Under 2.5.
- ✅ Manchester City to win the match.
Manchester City vs Watford Previews
Manchester City Team Preview
Manchester City returns to EFL Cup action, a competition that was once a hallmark of their dominance under Pep Guardiola. Between 2017 and 2021, City claimed four consecutive EFL Cup titles, but they’ve fallen short of adding more to their cabinet in recent seasons, with their last triumph coming during the COVID-impacted 2020-21 campaign.
While Guardiola’s side has lifted more prestigious silverware in recent years — including the Champions League and Club World Cup — they’ve not progressed past the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup since 2021. City, however, will be eager to rekindle their domestic cup form and erase the memory of last year’s third-round exit to Newcastle United. That early elimination marked their earliest departure since 1987.
John Stones’ dramatic equalizer in stoppage time against Arsenal was another reminder of City’s resilience, but the key men from that game, including Erling Haaland, are likely to be rested for this cup tie. Guardiola’s second-string side — packed with rising stars — will still be expected to dominate possession and carve out plenty of scoring opportunities.
Watford Team Preview
Watford, under manager Tom Cleverley, started the season in fine form but have hit a rough patch in September. After winning their first five competitive matches, including convincing EFL Cup victories against MK Dons (5-0) and Plymouth Argyle (2-0), their fortunes have reversed in the Championship, where they’ve failed to win any of their last three matches.
A 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Norwich City over the weekend underscored their recent struggles. Injuries to key defensive players, including goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann and centre-back Francisco Sierralta, have further dented their hopes ahead of the trip to Manchester. However, Watford will view this fixture as a free hit — a chance to play without pressure against one of Europe’s top teams.
Although the Hornets have shown resilience in the EFL Cup so far, their head-to-head record against City is grim. Watford have lost their last 15 meetings against the Citizens, conceding a staggering 58 goals in the process. With a weakened squad and low morale, Watford face a daunting task.
Manchester City vs Watford Team News
Manchester City Team News
- Rodri (season-ending ACL tear)
- Kevin De Bruyne (groin)
- Oscar Bobb (leg)
- Nathan Ake (thigh)
Rodri’s recent ACL injury and De Bruyne’s ongoing recovery mean both will miss this tie. Guardiola is likely to rotate heavily, with academy talents such as Nico O’Reilly and Joshua Wilson-Esbrand expected to feature prominently. Phil Foden and Jack Grealish may also get starts as they build fitness.
Watford Team News
- Daniel Bachmann (muscle injury)
- Francisco Sierralta (muscle injury)
- Kevin Keben (knee)
- Ryan Andrews (hamstring)
- Daniel Jebbison (cup-tied)
Watford will be without key defensive duo Bachmann and Sierralta, which is a significant blow. Ryan Porteous and backup goalkeeper Jonathan Bond are expected to step into the starting XI, while Cleverley must also shuffle his forward options with Daniel Jebbison ineligible after playing in the previous round with Bournemouth.
MCI vs WAT Last Five Head-to-Head
- Manchester City 5-0 Watford (2022)
- Manchester City 4-0 Watford (2022)
- Manchester City 3-1 Watford (2021)
- Manchester City 8-0 Watford (2019)
- Manchester City 6-0 Watford (FA Cup Final 2019)
Manchester City vs Watford Possible Lineups
Manchester City Possible Playing XI: Ortega; Lewis, Stones, Simpson-Pusey, Wilson-Esbrand; Nunes, Wright; O’Reilly, McAtee, Grealish; Foden
Watford Possible Playing XI: Bond; Morris, Pollock, Porteous; Ebosele, Dele-Bashiru, Sissoko, Sema; Chakvetadze, Baah; Bayo
MCI vs WAT Dream11 Prediction
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