Sunday Premier League – Watford vs Manchester City Preview
May 21, 2017 15:00 – Vicarage Road
Recent Form (League):
Watford: LLLLL
Manchester City: DDWWW
Woefully out-of-form Watford welcome top-four hopefuls Manchester City to Vicarage Road as the curtain comes down on a pretty average season for Walter Mazzarri’s men.
Five consecutive defeats leading up to this game has caused the Hornets’ board to react with the Italian coach facing his last game in charge of the Hertfordshire club. Following a combination of poor signings, average tactics and fall outs with senior players, it was only going to end one way, with the Tuscan-born Coach heading back to his homeland.
Injuries have also blighted Mazzarri’s this season, and a make-shift defence will be pitted against the Premier League’s second best attack once again this weekend. The rigors of a tough campaign have exposed many short-comings for the club in general and another rebuilding process will begin this summer.
Meanwhile, City travel south knowing that a third-place finish is there for the taking, barring a disaster of epic proportions. However, that might not be the outcome that the club’s fans were expecting at the end of Pep Guardiola’s first season in charge.
While the Sky Blues only need a point to secure a place in the top four, the Spanish Coach will demand all three to ensure that they avoid the qualification process for next season’s Champions League.
It has been a disappointing debut campaign for the Catalan, but he will be given the summer to build a squad that he thinks can challenge for the title again, so expect some big money moves come the transfer window.
Rumours persist of several departures from the squad, but expect no sentimentality from the former Barcelona Head Coach as he aims to finish the season in style. And against a team in poor form with a make-shift defence, there is a possibility of a big win for the away team.
The head-to-head record does not bode well for the home fans, with no wins in the last nine meetings against their illustrious opponents, their last victory coming way back in the 1986/87 season.
Prediction: There have been over 2.5 goals scored in eight of Man City’s last nine games in the league. With that in mind, a comfortable win can be expected with Sergio Aguero a popular choice as first scorer.
You can back the Away Win and Over 2-5 Goals at 5/6 with Betfair, while Sergio aguero can be backed at 3/1 to score first.