Fernandinho is set to keep his place in the centre of defence as Manchester City aim to cope without the injured John Stones and Aymeric Laporte.
The Brazil international partnered Nicolas Otamendi in City’s 3-0 win against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday – and Pep Guardiola hopes that makeshift defensive pairing can maintain his side’s challenge on all fronts.
Guardiola has plenty of areas in which he could freshen up his starting XI against Watford on Saturday after Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva and David Silva were all named on the bench in Kharkiv.
There is also the potential to start Joao Cancelo at right back, while Benjamin Mendy made his comeback from his latest knee injury as a late substitute against Shakhtar.
City are aiming to bounce back from last week’s shock defeat to Norwich, which saw them punished for a host of defensive gaffes at Carrow Road.
[4-3-3]: Ederson; Cancelo, Fernandinho, Otamendi, Zinchenko; De Bruyne, Rodri, Silva; Bernardo, Aguero, Sterling
