MAN CITY 2, WATFORD 1
Pep Guardiola turned to the kids who helped steer Manchester City into the last 16 of the Carabao Cup following their win against Championship club Watford.
City’s manager handed a debut to Kaden Braithwaite who, aged 16 years and 229 days, became the third youngster player in the club’s 130-year history.
Brathwaite was joined by Nico O’Reilly and James McAtee who were handed their first full starts while Phil Foden and Rico Lewis made up the home-grown quintet.
First-half goals from Jeremy Doku and forgotten man Matheus Nunes, a £53 million signing from Wolves in the summer of 2023, were sufficient to earn victory.
City would have won by a wider margin but for the heroics of Hornets’ keeper Jonathan Bond.
“We created a lot of chances to score three, four or five goals,” explained Guardiola.
Tom Ince, son of former Manchester United midfielder Paul, halved the deficit for Watford late on to ensure a nervy finish as the visitors sensed they could force a penalty shootout.
“They scored but we close out the game and went through to the next round,” Guardiola continued.
Guardiola had special praise for Nunes admitting he hasn’t had the easiest of starts adding he has special quality, and he is an “unique” talent.
“Sometimes it is not easy for new players. I am really pleased for him as he is a lovely guy and lovely guys deserve good things,” he continued.
Guardiola added the Carabao Cup is ideal to give much needed playing time for squad players as well as players like the Moston-based Braithwaite.
The press conference was dominated with the fallout from the serious knee injury sustained by Rodri in Sunday’s draw against Arsenal.
Embed from Getty ImagesCity are still waiting to hear from medics the severity of the injury for the player Guardiola has described as “irreplaceable”.
“I have a duty to replace him. It is a big blow for us, but that is football,” he said.
“My job is to find a replacement. Rodri is irreplaceable. I will find a solution and we will have to do it as a team.”
Watford’s Tom Cleverley, who took on Guardiola after only 18 games as a manager, admitted he had come a long way as this time last year he was managing the Hornet’ U18s at Fleetwood.
Cleverley, who made nine changes after heavy defeats in the last two games against Coventry and Norwich, said the objective was to be more resilient after the weekend’s loss.
“The players needed to respond, and they showed more backbone, but not in the opening five minutes,” he said.
“I made nine changes after two performances which have been under par and the players showed the best version of themselves and gave me plenty to think about for Saturday.
“I am hoping it will make the players believe as they pushed the best team in the world all the way.”
Cleverley thought Vakoun Bayo’s disallowed goal in first half stoppage time should have stood
As expected, Guardiola made wholesale changes to the side that drew 2-2 against Arsenal on Sunday.
Only Kyle Walker and Doku kept their places as Guardiola turned to youngsters O’Reilly and 16-year-old Braithwaite. O’Reilly and McAtee were handed their first senior starts.
Experienced players Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and John Stones all started to balance out the experience levels while Erling Haaland was not in the squad having scored his 100th Manchester City goal on Sunday as he was given compassionate late to return to Norway following the death of a close family friend.
Cleverley also made changes to the Watford side that lost 4-1 to Norwich at the weekend with Angel Ogbonna making his debut having joined from West Ham this summer.
Watford got off to the worst possible start falling behind in the fifth minute playing the ball out from the back after a weak back pass from Ryan Porteous to keeper Bond who was dispossessed by McAtee.
Grealish squared a pass to Doku who fired home low past Bond from about 14 yards for his first goal of the season.
There was a let off for City when Watford had a goal ruled out as scorer Baah was shoved Braithwaite off the ball before firing home from the narrowest of angles.
Watford weathered the early onslaught. Though City enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, they were unable to convert it into goals.
Then out of nothing, City doubled their lead in the 38th minute through Nunes.
McAtee initially won the ball before Lewis provided the assist for former Wolves player Nunes who bent a shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards, his first goal for City.
Watford ought to have halved the deficit in first half stoppage time when Bayo planted a free header wide.
City made a change at the break as Doku was replaced by Savinho.
There was almost a third goal for City mid-half when Nunes had a shot well saved, Rico Lewis’ follow-up was blocked. The ricochet flew to Savinho whose shot was headed off the line by Tom Ince.
City upped the tempo in pursuit of a third goal and Bond made two good stops in quick succession to deny Nunes and Foden while Savinho struck the upright with an angled shot.
Guardiola made his second change with 17 minutes left as O’Reilly was replaced by Jacob Wright soon followed by another as Braithwaite, who picked up a knock, made way for Josko Gvardiol.
Bond was busy as he made another big stop, this time to deny Grealish.
Those misses came back to bite City when Watford halved the deficit in the 86th minute when Ince curled an effort into the top corner from outside the box after being set up by substitute Giorgi Chakvetadze.
It was Watford’s first goal attempt on target and suddenly they had a belief that was not present previously as they set about trying to equalise.
City saw out the last four minutes of normal time and further four of additional without any serious issues thanks as they are masters of game management.