Watford 1-3 Manchester City: City player ratings as holders move atop league table | Premier League 2021-22
Raheem Sterling’s opener and Bernardo Silva’s brace helped Manchester City register a comfortable 3-1 win over Watford in the Premier League on Saturday. Cucho Hernandez bagged a late consolation for the hosts, after City were already three goals to the good.
The visitors wasted no time in establishing their dominance, taking the lead through Sterling in the fourth minute. City were on the front foot throughout the first half, and doubled their advantage through Silva in the 31st minute.
Guardiola’s men continued in the same vein in the second half, testing the Watford backline with great regularity. Silva eventually breached the home side’s defence in the 63rd minute with a delightful curling strike to put City three goals to the good. Watford pulled one back in the 74th minute through Hernandez, but found the deficit too big to overhaul.
With the win, Manchester City moved atop the league table, with Liverpool a point behind in second, while deposed leaders Chelsea are third. At the other end of the Premier League table, Watford find themselves three points from safety in 17th following this result.
☝️ @ManCity go top of the #PL for the first time this season https://t.co/AFsdw8rVjA
On that note, here are the Manchester City player ratings from the game:
Ederson: 5/10
Having had precious little to do in the game, Ederson would be bitterly disappointed to concede late on and lose his clean sheet.
Kyle Walker: 5/10
Walker used his pace extremely well, not just to defend effectively but also offer an offensive outlet against Watford.
100 - Kyle Walker (102 with Spurs, 100 with Man City) has become just the third player to be on the winning side in 100+ Premier League games with two different clubs, after Phil Neville (Manchester United and Everton) and Ashley Cole (Arsenal and Chelsea). Victorious. #WATMCI
Ruben Dias: 6/10
Dias brought the ball out from the back with great confidence, completing the most passes (105) of any player in the game.
Aymeric Laporte: 6/10
Laporte was a strong yet calming presence in the City defence, winning six duels and making three recoveries.
Joao Cancelo: 6/10
Cancelo delivered a typically buccaneering performance, and was ever-willing to bomb forward and join the city attack from left-back.
Bernardo Silva: 9/10
Silva is one of the most in-form players in the league right now, his brace making it five goals in his last five appearances. The Portuguese was a real handful for the Watford defence, regularly stepping up from midfield to devastating effect.
7 - With seven goals in just 14 games this season, Bernardo Silva has already equalled his best ever goalscoring return in a single Premier League campaign (7 in 36 apps in 2018-19). Magnificent. #WATMCI
Rodri: 5/10
The Spaniard seems to have established himself as City’s first-choice central midfielder. He proved his credentials with yet another assured display.
Ilkay Gundogan: 6/10
Gundogan was superb in City’s midfield, posing a real threat in attack and contributing in defence as well, in an all-round display.
Raheem Sterling: 7/10
Sterling shone on City’s right flank, and got on the scoresheet early on. His direct running caused Watford left-back Danny Rose all sorts of problems.
Jack Grealish: 4/10
Grealish was deployed through the middle rather than his customary position on the left wing. He found the unfamiliar position tough to get accustomed tom and was wasteful with a few presentable chances.
Phil Foden: 7/10
Foden played on the left of City’s front three, delivering an excellent performance. Not only did he create the most chances (5) in the game, he also did not misplace a single pass.
Ratings of Manchester City substitutes against Watford:
Riyad Mahrez: 5/10
Mahrez came on for the final 20 minutes, but was not able to impact the game.
Kevin De Bruyne: 5/10
The Belgian came on in the second half, and sprayed the ball around from midfield in typically effortless fashion.
Gabriel Jesus: NA
The Brazilian replaced Foden for the final few minutes, but barely got on the ball.