Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Hornets are planning a sting in the tale for City
CLAUDIO Ranieri believes Watford’s attacking style of play can get them a clean sheet in the visit of Manchester City in the Premier League this evening.
The Hornets have not beaten reigning Premier League champions City since 1989 and have lost every meeting between the sides since 2007, but Ranieri remained upbeat.
“I know I go against a big fantastic team. We know, but we have to play and we try to do our best,” the Watford manager said.
“Of course I want a clean sheet, not only one, but I believe we can achieve a clean sheet if we continue to play in this way.”
Going into November, the Hornets faced a daunting run of fixtures including Leicester, Everton, Manchester United and Chelsea but managed to win 5-2 at Everton and beat United 4-1 at home in what proved to be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s final match in charge.
Watford also pushed the current league leaders Chelsea in midweek, with even Thomas Tuchel admitting that his side did not deserve all three points from the encounter.
“I am very confident with my players but of course you know I am a pragmatic manager and I’d like to take some points,” Ranieri said.
“Because if you play well once, twice, three times without taking a point, after it’s not good.
“Now is the right moment to take points, we need points, we are in the battle for relegation and then we have to react, every match we have to react, every moment we have to react, every time.”
Manchester City have lost just two league matches this season, winning 10 out of their first 14, while Watford currently sit in 17th place, just three points ahead of the relegation zone.
Meanwhile, with Jack Grealish and Phil Foden having made the bench at Villa Park in midweek and Aymeric Laporte available again after suspension, only long-term casualty Ferran Torres is still out for Manchester City.
Boss Pep Guardiola said: “Except Ferran all of them are ready to travel to London. It is much better. I said before the game against Aston Villa we need everyone and it is much better to have everyone.”
The top three in the Premier League of Chelsea, City and Liverpool have opened up a gap from the rest over the last couple of weeks but Guardiola is wary of the threat of Watford.
He said: “Claudio Ranieri, the veteran Italian who guided Leicester to the title in 2016, has brought fresh enthusiasm to the club and they scored a stunning 4-1 win over Manchester United a fortnight ago.
“Football has to be grateful we still have important people like Claudio Ranieri. What he’s done in his career is amazing. Of course Leicester is the benchmark but with what he has done in Spain, Italy, France, everywhere, I admire this type of person.”