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Manchester City’s 8-0 win over Watford was their 12th successive victory over the Hornets and the latest in a string of emphatic scorelines.
Here, the PA News agency looks at City’s record against one of their favourite opponents of the Pep Guardiola era.
The start of the run
After a pair of draws in 2006-07, Watford were relegated and did not return to the Premier League until 2015-16.
They did meet City in the FA Cup on two occasions, though, City winning 3-0 in January 2013 and 4-2 a year later to kick-start their recent dominance of Watford.
City also did the double over the Hornets in 2015-16, winning 2-0 at home and 2-1 at Vicarage Road.
The Guardiola era
City have scored 35 goals in the eight meetings since their current manager took charge, with Saturday’s rout following a record-equalling FA Cup final in May.
That pair of result represents history repeating itself from 2017, when City won 5-0 and 6-0 at Vicarage Road in May and September respectively.
A pair of 3-1 wins and a 2-1 in December 2018 complete a one-sided sequence which began with City winning 2-0 in December 2016.
Notable scorelines
Manchester City 8 Watford 0, September 21, 2019
David Silva scored in the first minute, Sergio Aguero quickly added a penalty and it was 5-0 by the 18th minute after goals from Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva and Nicolas Otamendi. Two more from Bernardo followed before Kevin De Bruyne scored the eighth.
Manchester City 6 Watford 0, May 18, 2019
Guardiola’s side equalled Bury’s 116-year-old record for the biggest win in an FA Cup final. David Silva opened the scoring, Gabriel Jesus scored twice to sandwich a De Bruyne strike and Raheem Sterling bagged two in the final 10 minutes.
Watford 0 Manchester City 5, May 21, 2017
Much of the damage was done in the first half via Vincent Kompany’s early opener, Aguero’s brace and a Fernandinho strike. Jesus rounded off the scoring just before the hour.
Watford 0 Manchester City 6, September 16, 2017
There was no let-up four months later as Aguero’s hat-trick set up another rout. Jesus, Otamendi and Sterling also found the net.
Manchester City 4 Watford 2, January 25, 2014
The only time since 1987 that Watford have scored more than once against City, as they raced into a 2-0 lead through Fernando Forestieri and Troy Deeney – only for another Aguero treble, combined with Aleksandar Kolarov’s goal, to turn the tables in the second half.
