Manchester City claims an emphatic 5-1 victory over Watford. The hosts dominated this game throughout and went to work quickly when Jesus tapped in from close range four minutes in.
And they doubled their lead shortly after when Jesus nodded on De Bruyne’s cross. When Kamara fired in a clinical strike, Watford briefly threatened a comeback, but their hopes were dashed when Rodrigo smashed in a superb 25-yard strike.
The second half was about Jesus as the attacker completed his hattrick with a penalty before notching his fourth with a calm strike following a selfless assist from De Bruyne.
Watford dropped deeper to avoid an even heavier defeat, and City ran out comfortable winners.
Starting lineup:
MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Ederson; Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Kevin de Bruyne, Rodrigo, Fernandinho; Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish.
WATFORD (4-3-3): Ben Foster; Jeremy Ngakia, Christian Kabasele, Samir, Hassane Kamara; Moussa Sissoko, Imran Louza, Tom Cleverley; Ismaila Sarr, Josh King, Emmanuel Dennis.
Goals:
GOAL! JESUS! 1-0. The city takes an early lead. Cancelo picks out Zinchenko inside the box with a significant switch, and the wingback drills in a low cross that Jesus gleefully taps into an empty net from close range!
And Jesus makes it two! 2-0. The hosts pour forward again as De Bruyne whips in a sensational cross that finds an unmarked Jesus inside the six-yard box, and the attacker stoops to guide a header beyond Foster!
KAMARA! 2-1. Watford pulls a goal back. King draws Dias out of position before finding Dennis, who curls a superb through ball into the path of Kamara, who races in behind the defence! The wingback takes a touch before drilling a clinical 15-yard strike across Ederson and into the bottom corner,
3-1. Goal Rodrigo Hernández Cascante It was a speculative cross from Jesus towards the edge of the box, and indeed even he didn’t think that Rodrigo would produce that strike.
JESUS HATTRICK! 4-1. Jesus confidently steps up and sends Foster the wrong way before slotting it into the bottom left corner.
JESUS AGAIN! 5-1. Jesus gets his fourth goal as City sweep forward with a superb move that ends with De Bruyne cutting it back to Jesus, who slots in calmly from eight yards.
So, what’s next?
The result means that Manchester City moves four points clear at the top of the league, although Liverpool does have a game in hand tomorrow. Watford, meanwhile, remains in 19th.
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