Manchester City host Watford at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League with yet another defensive issue facing Pep Guardiola this season — a shortage of centre backs.
First, it was having a quartet of ageing full-backs unable to deliver on his demands. Then it was going eight months without a genuine left-back. And now this.
With the long-serving captain, Vincent Kompany released in the offseason and Aymeric Laporte ruled out for the rest of 2019 because of a knee injury, City was already lacking numbers at centre back when John Stones sustained a muscle injury in training this week and could be sidelined until November.
It has left Guardiola with one fit senior centre back — Nicolas Otamendi, a player who looked on his way out of the club after barely featuring last season — just as the fixtures start piling up this season.
Guardiola's first decision was to play defensive midfielder Fernandinho at the heart of the defence for the Champions League group match away to Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday. Making his first start of the campaign, Fernandinho — who has been playing as a defender in training this season — slotted in just fine and City kept a clean sheet, winning 3-0.
Expecting Fernandinho, 34, and Otamendi, 31, to play three games in a week-long span might be asking too much, so Guardiola will have other ideas.
Like, maybe, promoting Eric Garcia to the first team. The 18-year-old Spaniard was part of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy as a kid and was signed by City in 2017, but has yet to play a Premier League match despite being in the senior squad all last season.
Or even Taylor Harwood-Bellis, a 17-year-old academy prospect who hasn't played a senior match for City.
Kyle Walker, a right-back, could even move into the centre of defence in an emergency, having played on the right of a back three for England and City previously.
Whichever option Guardiola chooses, it's hardly an ideal situation for a team that plans to go hard at every competition this season — just like the last one, when City won the domestic treble and reached the Champions League quarterfinals. Manchester City is also already five points behind Liverpool after five games of its Premier League title defence, which continues at home to Watford on Saturday.
Premier League 2019 Live: MANCHESTER CITY VS WATFORD Live Streaming
Where to watch Premier League 2019 Manchester City vs Watford live in India (TV channels)?
The Manchester City vs Watford match in the Premier League will be played at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. The Premier League Manchester City vs Watford live telecast will be on Star Sports Select HD1 channels in India at 7:30 PM.
How and where to watch PL 2019 Manchester City vs Watford live streaming?
The Manchester City vs Watford live stream will be available on Hotstar app and hotstar.com website in India for premium users.
(With inputs from AP)
Comments
0 comment