Manchester City survive scare to beat Watford and extend winning run

Ben Foster’s heroics have been in vain for Watford as Manchester City won again to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.

The Watford keeper made a string of fine first-half saves to keep his side in contention, but strikes either side of halftime from Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez put the league leaders on their way to their seventh Premier League win in a row.

City were dominant for 85 minutes and seemed to be cruising to a routine 2-0 win but Pep Guardiola’s side had to endure a nervy finale when Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure poked home with five minutes to play.

AS IT HAPPENED: Watford 1 Manchester City 2

However, despite some intense late pressure, City held on to win 2-1 and extend their lead at the top of the table to five points over Liverpool.

Guardiola rang the changes for the Sky Blues, naming an entirely different back four from their 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday and dropping Raheem Sterling to the bench. Sergio Aguero once again missed out through injury.

If Watford had hoped City’s changes would take time to gel, they were sorely disappointed. Apart from a Roberto Pereyra chance which went wide, the league leaders put on a pass and move clinic for the opening 20 minutes.

Leroy Sane, and Bernado and David Silva camped in Watford’s half as they picked and pulled at the Hornets’ defence and delivered dangerous balls into the box that Foster had to be alert to to defuse.

Sane had City’s first real chance when he was sent one-on-one with Foster, but the former England no.1 palmed his shot behind.

Foster was then forced into a remarkable triple save as he first denied Riyad Mahrez one-on-one, then blocked Bernardo’s follow up, before finally tipping the ball away from David Silva’s feet.

The Watford keeper was then forced to save at Gabriel Jesus’ feet to keep his side in the match.

Javi Gracia’s men though stuck their guns and after seeing out the opening onslaught began to get a toehold in the game and almost took a shock lead on the half hour.

Doucoure flicked the ball over his head and Troy Deeney met the ball on the stretch. However not wanting to be outdone by counterpart Foster, Ederson made a great save with his foot from close range.

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Watford were made to rue that miss five minutes later when City finally took the lead.

Mahrez’s inswinging crosses from the right flank had been causing Watford problems all night, and the winger finally made them pay when Sane was on hand to bundle the ball past Foster at the far post.

Watford were hanging in, but the Hornets undid all their hard work just five minutes after the re-start.

Jesus was released by Bernardo down the left, and the Brazilian’s low cross was slammed home by Mahrez to double City’s lead.

Mahrez almost added a third, but his shot was deflected looping just wide. Jesus then squandered his chance to break his own goal drought when sent clean through but his radar was off.

Watford did manage a shot on target in the second half, but Isaac Success’ header was easily swallowed by Ederson. Doucoure then had a chance but his shot lacked power to test to City’s keeper.

The match appeared to be petering out for a routine City win but with five minutes to play, there was a twist in the tail.

Fabian Delph lost the ball to Gerard Deulofeu, the winger put in a good low cross and after a goalmouth scramble Doucoure poked the ball home at the third time of asking.

Deeney then almost snatched a point but his header was too close to Ederson.

Watford ratcheted up the pressure in the final minutes as even Foster was sent up to search for a famous equaliser, but City clung on to record their seventh win in a row and throw down the gauntlet to Liverpool, who face Burnley on Wednesday.