Man City 3-1 Watford: Five things learned as superb Sterling leaves Liverpool trailing by four points

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Manchester City get their swagger back as the go four points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a 3-1 victory over Watford. 

The visitors began this game with every player parked behind the ball in their own half, as they absorbed wave after wave of City attacks.

Fortunately for Javi Gracia’s men, City could not find a way through the heavy traffic and when why did they squandered their opportunities, with Sergio Aguero botching the Citizens’ only clear chance in the first 45 minutes.

Pep Guardiola must have prepared something really special on City’s changing room drawing board, as they wrapped up this game only 15 minutes after the break courtesy of a sensational hat-trick from Raheem Sterling. The Englishman nabbed his hat-trick for City with a lucky goal, a tap in and a superb individual effort to earn an early bath this afternoon.

Watford responded with what ended up being a consolation goal via Gerard Deulofeu’s effort, 17 seconds after entering the fray.

Here are five things we learned from Saturday’s late afternoon kick off.

1.Fernandinho’s boots are too big for Gundogan to fill

Regardless of absentees, City are always a formidable force as they have extraordinary strength in depth, but Pep Guardiola’s side tend to fall way short of their peak when Fernandinho is unavailable.

Ä°lkay Gundogan came into the starting XI to take the absent Brazilian’s place in central midfield, and although the German showed his subtle skills on the ball, he was unable to anchor City in the same way that their inimitable No. 25 does.

The Germany international’s final ball was not up to scratch at the Etihad and he should have been booked after making several unnecessary fouls in the first half.

The 28-year-old was sharper after the break and distributed the ball well, but he produced nothing to convince Guardiola that Fernandinho shouldn’t remain City’s first choice.

2.Watford still haven’t beaten City in the Premier League

Nobody was expecting much from Watford this evening, as they haven’t fared particularly well against top-six sides this term, but after finishing the first half on level pegging it was not inconceivable that the Hornets could earn a point in Manchester.

Prior to kick off Man City had never lost a Premier League game against Watford, winning seven and drawing two. The Citizens have won the last seven meetings in a row by an aggregate score of 22-3. Today’s victory takes that to eight games in a row with an aggregate of 25-4. Pretty convincing to say the least.

3. It only takes one crack for City to burst through the dam

City’s players looked flustered as they exited the pitch at the end of the first half, after struggling to break down Watford’s back 11. The Hornets’ human wall remained heavily manned when the second half got under way, but received it’s first crack only a minute after the restart when Raheem Sterling rode his luck to open the scoring.

That crack is typically all the boys in sky blue need to smash through the sturdiest of blockades and Sterling was on hand to bury the visitors with two additional strikes.

Watford will be thanking their lucky stars that the England international was taken off shortly after his Man of the Match winning performance – which Sterling earned with half an hour left to play – as those three goals were all City could manage at the Etihad this evening.

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4. Sterling’s hat-trick was the fastest in over two years

Sterling scored his second Premier League hat-trick in 13 minutes and 12 seconds – the fastest in the Premier League since Romelu Lukaku’s scored three for Everton against Sunderland in September 2016 – after 11 minutes and 37 seconds.

The England international’s first goal was the most fortunate of the bunch and if VAR was on duty it would have been ruled out as he received the ball from an offside position.

The 24-year-old’s second goal – a tap-in from a couple of feet –  was Manchester City’s 150th Premier League goal at the Etihad under Pep Guardiola. Sterling’s third, scored under the the typical Mancunian drizzle, was a fantastic individual effort as he cut in from the left flank, flummoxing everyone and finishing with panache.

5. Deulofeu is fastest sub to score since 2014

The Spaniard’s composed finish was purely academic when the final whistle blew, but it was a remarkable one, nevertheless.

The former Everton forward scored with his first touch after playing for only 17 seconds, and is the quickest goal by a substitute in the Premier League since October 2014, when Sammy Ameobi scored after eight seconds for Newcastle.

Deulofeu’s goal was also the first shot on target City had faced since Andy Carrol had a go in the 50th minute of their 1-0 win against West Ham. 196 minutes of football have elapsed between the two.

Sadly for travelling Watford fans, none of that matters as they head back to the south east with their tale firmly between their legs after failing, yet again, to get the better of City.

The post Man City 3-1 Watford: Five things learned as superb Sterling leaves Liverpool trailing by four points appeared first on Squawka News.



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