Frank Christian
Due to the newly established UEFA Champions League format and the Greater Manchester Police’s preference for not scheduling both clubs concurrently, Manchester City will face Watford in the Carabao Cup roughly 49 hours after their thrilling 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League.
Recently, Rodri mentioned the possibility of players striking if the current scheduling persists. Unfortunately, he is now dealing with a significant knee injury that may keep him out for the remainder of the season.
It’s highly probable that Rodri wouldn’t have participated in this upcoming match, as Pep Guardiola is expected to rotate his squad significantly, opting to rest his regulars from the weekend.
Even with a reshuffled lineup, Watford will still encounter a team with numerous international stars. Historically, Watford has struggled against City, losing the last 15 encounters, including a heavy defeat in the 2019 FA Cup final.
Man City vs. Watford Lineups, Expected Starting XI, and Team Updates
Kevin De Bruyne missed the Arsenal match due to a groin injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least another week. Meanwhile, Oscar Bobb (broken leg), Nathan Ake (hamstring), and Rodri will not be available for a while.
Weekend standout John Stones is likely to lead a defense predominantly featuring players from City’s academy, with Stefan Ortega stepping in for Ederson as the goalkeeper in cup competitions.
Young midfielders Jacob Wright and Nico O’Reilly will be given the opportunity to showcase their skills in place of Rodri. Wright is typically suited for the holding midfield role, while O’Reilly impressed during City’s pre-season in the USA.
Predicted Man City XI (4-3-3): Ortega (GK) — Lewis, Stones, Simpson-Pusey, Wilson-Esbrand — Nunes, Wright, O’Reilly — McAtee, Foden, Grealish
Injuries: Bobb, De Bruyne, Ake, Rodri
Suspensions: None
Watford’s recent 4-1 loss to Norwich was compounded by early injuries to goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann and defender Francisco Sierralta. Although their muscular injuries are not severe, they will miss this match.
Ryan Adams (hamstring), who scored for Watford on Saturday, along with Kevin Keben (knee), will also be absent. Loaned striker Daniel Jebbison is cup-tied after having played for Bournemouth in earlier rounds.
Former City player Tom Dele-Bashiru, who debuted under Guardiola in this tournament back in 2017, is expected to feature in Watford’s midfield.
Predicted Watford XI (3-4-2-1): Bond (GK) — Morris, Pollock, Porteous — Ebosele, Dele-Bashiru, Sissoko, Sema — Chakvetadze, Baah — Bayo.
Injuries: Bachmann, Sierralta, Adams, Keben
Suspensions: None
Cup-tied: Jebbison
Man City vs. Watford Viewing Information
Here’s how you can watch the Carabao Cup third-round match in various regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | — | Paramount+ |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UK | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football | Sky GO, Sky Sports site |
| Australia | beIN Sports 2 | beIN Sports 2 |
| India | — | FanCode |
