Manchester City will look to hang on to their place at the top of the table when Watford drop in for a visit on Saturday.
The Sky Blues are just a point ahead of Liverpool who will host Burnley on Sunday and Pep will want his team to bag all three points and put pressure on the Reds who play a day later.
But things are unlikely to be too straightforward with the Hornets losing just 2 out of their last 13 games in all competitions. City have found it tough to break down teams recently and we expect something similar on Saturday with their opponents likely to be more than happy to sit back and absorb pressure.
MANCHESTER CITY EARLY TEAM NEWS
Fernandinho is expected to return after the international break. Aymeric Laporte was pictured in training but he is unlikely to be risked right now.
Benjamin Mendy has faced a number of roadblocks on his road to recovery and City will want to be completely sure of his fitness and will not take a chance with him. Fabian Delph is back in training but Saturday’s game might come too soon for him.
Pep will give further updates on Kevin de Bruyne but he is unlikely to play on Saturday. John Stones has a slight muscular niggle while Claudio Bravo and Eliaquim Mangala are long-term absentees.
PREDICTED MANCHESTER CITY LINEUP vs WATFORD (4-3-3)
DEFENCE
Ederson will take up his place in goal. The Brazilian has kept two back to back clean sheets and will hope to complete a hattrick.
Kyle Walker is expected to start as the right back while Oleksandr Zinchenko should line up at left-back.
With doubts over Stones and Laporte’s fitness levels, Pep might go with the centre-back pairing of Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi.
MIDFIELD
Ilkay Gundogan should continue in the role of the midfield anchor in Fernandinho’s continued absence. The German has been excellent in recent weeks and will hope for another good game.
On either side of Gundogan, we expect the two Silvas to start. Bernardo Silva has been impressive on the flank but he likely to be called into action in midfield on Saturday.
ATTACK
With Bernardo Silva in midfield, Raheem Sterling can start on his favoured right-wing slot. This will give an opportunity to Leroy Sane to get a start on the left. The German has not impressed in the starts he has been handed lately and needs to take his chance.
Despite Gabriel Jesus’ return to form, we expect Sergio Aguero to start up front.
