Battered, bruised and the games are coming think & fast!

Little time for the players to prep and little time for me also. Straight to it then…

v Watford.

Etihad Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from starting line-up in the last game: 7/11).

Fluid 4-5-1 / 4-3-3

____________________Aguero____________________

Sane____________________________________Sterling

_________Gundogan___________B.Silva___________

__________________Fernandino___________________

Danilo____________________________________Walker

____________Stones_________Otamendi____________

____________________Ederson____________________

Subs: Bravo, Zinchenko, Adarabioyo, Mangala, Toure, Diaz, Nmecha.

Ederson, the mighty hero, to carry on wearing the gloves.

Danilo, Kyle & Nicholas are likely to ‘go again’ but quite possibly joined by the returning John.

Fernandinho, Ilkay & Bernardo all to put in another shift too, with Bernardo likely to start in the middle of the park for The Hornets’ visit. Leroy & Sterling provide the width.

Sergio definitely gets the nod in the striker department for reasons of little choice otherwise.

Claudio has the extra pair of gloves; Oleksandr, Tosin & Eliaquim provide defensive cover from the 7 on the side. “Old man” Yaya to be joined by young kid Brahim as midfield change options and I’m going for Pep to dip into the EDS also for a striker replacement option…and for that I’m going for Lukas.

Notable absences: Benjamin Mendy (continues rehab following injury / surgery), Vincent Kompany (on way back from injury but possibly not quite ready for this one), Kevin De Bruyne (bruised and not quite ready for Watford), Fabian Delph (recovering but perhaps not in time for tomorrow night’s game) & Gabriel Jesus (injured for anywhere from 1 to 2 months from 31.12.2017).

Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?

Yes.

Result? Watford might come to Manchester thinking that there’s a chink in our armour for them to have a go at, weather that’s because our last two games have ended a close 0-1 (City away win) and even closer 0-0 and / or whether they look at our important players out and feel like it leaves us with an exposed, soft underbelly.

But our hosts roll into town with injuries & suspensions aplenty themselves, are most definitely out of form and will find a team still-full of quality awaits them. And, I’m sure, they'll also come face-to-face with a somewhat ‘wounded animal’; after yet another team shoved, kicked and downright ‘stamped on’ & ‘swiped at’ us.

Perhaps Watford might try the same bullying tactics as the last couple of teams – they do often come with a reputation for being a tough outfit. Yeah, they might well try to stings us…but I’m not sure that stinging a slightly wounded, ferocious animal is a good idea, especially in its own lair. This is a City win for me.

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…

Prediction: Win

Result: Win

Expected weather conditions during the game: Fans should take plenty of waterproof stuff and Pep’s men should keep the ball on the deck as much as possible, as heavy rain both before & during the game is accompanied by a reasonably strong, Southerly wind, which will get much worse as fans travel home. Not terribly cold for early January at 7 to 9C though.