Manchester City survived a late scare to get back to winning ways after Sunday’s draining draw against Arsenal with a 2-1 defeat of Watford in the Carabao Cup.
First-half goals from Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes ultimately proved enough for a much-changed side to reach the fourth round at the expense of their Championship opponents at the Etihad Stadium.
Watford goalkeeper Jonathan Bond prevented the scoreline becoming a rout with several saves in the second half while Savinho hit the post, but the visitors gained late hope with a fine Tom Ince strike.
FULL-TIME | Into the next round of the @Carabao_Cup 💪
🩵 2-1 🐝 #ManCity | @okx pic.twitter.com/ecXNtgaai8
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 24, 2024
Yet, after plenty of last-gasp drama at the weekend, there was to be no nail-biting finish as Pep Guardiola’s side saw out time.
Doku and Kyle Walker were the only starters retained by Guardiola following the Gunners humdinger, though such are his resources that Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and John Stones were among those incoming.
Sixteen-year-old Kaden Braithwaite was handed a debut and there were also chances for fellow teenager Nico O’Reilly and James McAtee, who impressed on loan at Sheffield United last season.
Watford boss Tom Cleverly also made nine changes, perhaps indicating where the game stood in his priorities, and City soon took control.
McAtee might have scored when he miskicked in front of goal in the first minute but he soon made amends when he set up Doku’s fifth-minute opener by seizing on a poor back-pass by Ryan Porteous.
McAtee nipped in front of Bond and the ball was quickly worked, via Grealish, to Doku, who finished tidily after a neat turn.
Kwadwo Baah thought he had equalised after brushing past Braithwaite to fire home but was penalised for a foul on the youngster.
Foden struck a free-kick into the wall before Nunes doubled the lead seven minutes before the break.
Watford were unable to contain some slick City passing and the Portuguese made space for himself to score from the edge of the area.
The visitors should have pulled one back when Vakoun Bayo planted a header wide from a Yasser Larouci cross and Imran Louza dragged a shot wide after the hour.
Yet City were otherwise in control and Nunes forced a good save from Bond before Ince headed off the line from substitute Savinho.
Bond then denied Nunes and Foden in quick succession, Savinho struck the woodwork and Grealish was also thwarted by the keeper.
City could have been made to pay for those misses after Ince curled in a superb effort four minutes from time but it proved only a consolation.
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