Manchester City v Watford
Saturday 29th August, 15:00
Manchester City are the league’s only side to have won their first three matches, and are the season’s early pace setters. The blue half of Manchester will be hoping that their team can continue in the same vein this weekend, having already scored eight goals without reply.
Newly promoted Watford are the league’s draw specialists, having picked up a point a piece in each of their first three matches on their return to England’s top flight. They will be hoping to go one better and take their first major scalp of the season on their trip up North to Manchester.
Watford will be more than aware of the danger of Yaya Toure, especially given his early season form, and the job of stopping him will likely fall upon the shoulders of Etienne Capoue. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that he has hit the target with 83.3% of his six shots so far this season, turning two of those into goals. His good work doesn’t stop there, as he has also assisted two further goals, completed 100% of his six dribbles and 91.6% of his 202 passes.
Capoue will know the gravity of the task at hand, but the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index highlights precisely how he can be effective come this weekend. Capoue has won 80% of his 10 tackles so far this season, also making nine interceptions and eight clearances, and he will need to further add to those statistics if he is to win the battle of the engine rooms. He has also completed 86.3% of his 161 passes so far this term, and will need to ensure that he doesn’t give the ball away to help build momentum on the break for the Canaries.
Up top, both Manchester City and Watford will be looking for their main strikers to deliver the goods. Sergio Aguero needs no introduction, and the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index highlights his efficiency. Aguero has hit the target with 77.8% of his shots this season, and his accuracy will be a concern to the Watford goal as he looks to add to his one goal for the season. Not only hard to tackle, he rarely gives the ball away having completed 91.7% of his 48 passes, so Watford will need to figure out exactly how to stop him. He is 5/9 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
At the other end, Watford skipper Troy Deeney is a handful to mark, and the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index highlights his strengths on the pitch. Deeney will be searching for his first goal of the season this weekend and looking to further boost his ratio of 50% of his shots on target, and adding to his tally of four shots. He has laid on one assist so far this season, and his ability to create adds a second threat to his game. He’s also not afraid to help out with the defensive workload having made four clearances already this season, and his good work may have to come at both ends of the pitch once more this weekend, to help keep City at bay. He is 19/5 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
Manchester City v Watford Possible Lineups:
Man City: Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov; Delph, Fernandinho, Navas, Nasri, Silva; Aguero
Watford: Gomes; Nyom, Cathcart, Prodl, Holebas; Capoue, Behrami; Jurado, Ighalo, Anya; Deeney
Manchester City v Watford Stats:
- Manchester City are unbeaten in their last seven league and cup games against Watford (W5, D2).
- City claimed home wins against Watford in the FA Cup in 2013 and 2014, winning 3-0 and 4-2 respectively – coming back from 2-0 down in the latter game.
- Watford’s last win against City was by 1-0 at Vicarage Road in a Division Two match in March 1989.
- The last time the Hornets beat City in a top-flight match was in April 1987, when Worrell Sterling and David Bardsley scored in a 2-1 victory at Maine Road.
- City are chasing a club record 10th consecutive top-flight win, having equalled the current record – set in 1912.
- The Hornets are unbeaten in their last five Premier League games, keeping clean sheets in the previous two.
Stats via BBC
Manchester City v Watford Prediction:
A 3-0 win for the Citizens.
Data supplied by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Select and manage your own team of stars with at http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ or with FIFA Ultimate team.