The paper covering Manchester City’s cracks was torn down by Norwich but without John Stones’s slack passing they are likely to improve defensively. A strong showing in Ukraine also aids the feeling that their shock defeat was a freak aberration. Watford produced an upset of their own against Arsenal and deserved a first victory of the season in the dying embers. Quique Sánchez Flores’s positive effect was clear in his first game back in the dugout but that may not last long with Pep Guardiola seeking atonement for the Carrow Road calamity. Graham Searles
Saturday 3pm
Venue Etihad Stadium
Last season Manchester City 3 Watford 1
Referee Mike Dean
This season G5 Y17 R2 3.8 cards/game
Odds H 1-8 A 33-1 D 21-2
MANCHESTER CITY
Subs from Bravo, Carson, Foden, Mahrez, Cancelo, Angeliño, García, Jesus, Mendy
Doubtful Foden (ill)
Injured Stones (thigh, Oct), Sané (knee, Jan), Laporte (knee, unknown)
Suspended None
Discipline Y8 R0
Form WDWWL
Leading scorer Agüero 7
WATFORD
Subs from Gomes, Prödl, Masina, Quina, Chalobah, Sema, Dahlberg, Mariappa, Dele-Bashiru, Foulquier, Peñaranda, Sarr, Pereyra, Janmaat, Welbeck
Doubtful None
Injured Cathcart (thigh, 28 Sep), Deeney (knee), Success (groin, both unknown)
Suspended None
Discipline Y10 R0
Form LLLDD
Leading scorers Cleverley, Gray, Hughes, Pereyra 1
