MX23RW : Wednesday, December 25 05:57:48| >> :120:12246:12246:
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Manchester City logo
FA Cup | Fourth Round
Jan 25, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Watford logo

4-2

Aguero (60', 79', 90'), Kolarov (87')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Forestieri (21'), Deeney (30')

Preview: Manchester City vs. Watford

Sports Mole previews the FA Cup fourth-round clash between Manchester City and Watford as the Citizens look to make it 19 games unbeaten in all competitions.

Manchester City will be expecting to keep their hopes of a quadruple alive when Watford visit them in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.

Manuel Pellegrini's free-scoring side were taken to a replay by Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers in the last round, but City's incredible home record gives the Hornets little chance of doing the same.

Only Bayern Munich have come away from the Etihad Stadium without tasting defeat during a season in which the League Cup finalists have scored at least three goals in 13 of 17 matches on their own turf.

A run of 18 unbeaten matches for the hosts does nothing to improve Watford's chances, although Pellegrini is likely to leave out several star names ahead of the trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Pablo Zabaleta and Joe Hart are all expected to sit out, as they did in the Capital One Cup semi-final second leg against West Ham United on Wednesday.

With Alvaro Negredo suffering from a shoulder problem that should subside in time for the Spurs match, Sergio Aguero is expected to be given more game time in his recovery from a calf injury.

Others who have been in the treatment room with him recently - Stevan Jovetic and Jack Rodwell - are also in contention to feature, but Samir Nasri remains a long-term absentee with knee ligament damage.

Watford boss Giuseppe Sannino is without the suspended Gabriele Angella and ineligible Arsenal loanee Hector Bellerin, and therefore Vicarage Road stalwart Lloyd Doyley could be recalled in defence.

Almen Abdi is on standby to replace Iriney in midfield if the Brazilian is unfit after limping off in the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, while Sean Murray could line up alongside him if Sannino feels that he needs to sacrifice a striker, possibly Diego Fabbrini, to reinforce the centre of the park.

Recent form

City: WWWWWD

Watford: DWLDDW

Possible starting lineups

City: Pantilimon; Richards, Nastasic, Lescott, Kolorov; Milner, Garcia, Rodwell, Navas; Aguero, Dzeko

Watford: Almunia; Doyley, Ekstrand, Hall, Faraoni; Battocchio, McGugan, Murray, Abdi, Pudil; Deeney

Sports Mole says: 4-0


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Written by
Joe Fish
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