Tough finish may be perfect test ahead of Chelsea
CITY endured a tougher game than they would have hoped for at Watford as they prepare to face Chelsea at the weekend.
Javi Gracia’s side had shown enough this season to suggest they would provide a stern test, but they should have been out of the match earlier than they were on Tuesday.
Had the finishing been better from Pep Guardiola’s side, against an admittedly excellent Ben Foster, the late tension as Watford pushed hard for a point may never have been.
Having won 15 out of 16 halves of football in eight straight wins since the October international break, City have won just two out of six against their last three opponents.
With just three goals scored in total in games with Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham, it would be against the form book for there to be a big win at Stamford Bridge.
One of City’s main concerns going into Saturday’s game has to be Fernandinho.
Guardiola has said that the player will be ‘killed’ for next season if he does not get adequate rest, but he has played every minute of the last four games - played across 11 days.
Having struggled to recover quickly at the beginning of the campaign, does the team’s sentinel have enough in reserve to guide his team through another 90?
Attack is also a dilemma, albeit more welcome. Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez all impressed against Watford, but space has surely to be found for Raheem Sterling to come back in.
Mahrez and Sane are arguably more in form than Jesus, but the Brazilian is the more natural central striker especially with Sergio Aguero an injury doubt - and was outstanding in the game at Chelsea last season.
As well as the performances of his forwards at Watford, Guardiola can be encouraged by the fact that his two standout players this season in Sterling and Aymeric Laporte were collectively only needed for a few minutes on the night.
City’s failure to finish the game off should also help preparations for Chelsea. The players have both fresh memories of the need to be more clinical and also experience of having to hold on and see out a game.
Guardiola said before a game with Maurizio Sarri’s Napoli last season that the Blues would ‘suffer like never before’, and one of the toughest matches of the manager’s tenure duly followed.
Against a Chelsea team absorbing the characteristics of ‘Sarriball’ - and despite last night’s shock defeat by Wolves - it is unlikely that City will be able to dominate from minute one as they have at other times this season.
Watford may have taken plenty out of Guardiola’s weary players but could have prepared them for Saturday better than any training session could.