Rested players to return v Watford?

Games still coming ‘think & fast’ and with [still] some doubts over availability & players deffo out, it’s another ‘guess who’ from me…

v Watford

Vicarage Road

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from starting line-up in the last game: 6/11, which is not surprising at all to me considering all…).

Fluid 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:

____________________Jesus_____________________

Sane____________________________________Mahrez

___________D. Silva___________B. Silva____________

____________________Delph______________________

Danilo____________________________________Walker

____________Laporte__________Stones_____________

____________________Ederson____________________

Subs: Muric, Kompany, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Foden, Sterling.

Ederson has the gloves.

I think we’ll see another change to our back-4 from Saturday – this time with Danilo switching flanks; Kyle to slot back in on the right, Aymeric to ‘go again’ but, this time, joined by rested John.

Fernandinho surely to get a rest ahead of Saturday and, if so, Fabian takes his role. Rested David to partner Bernardo in the middle of an attacking midfield; Leroy to continue on the left of that and, likely I think, rested also Riyad to start on the right.

Gabriel – desperate for league goals to add to his hard work for the team – to be given another shot to head-up all of those.

Aro the reserve stopper; Vinny & Otamendi provide the only back-up to the defence (with options of a reshuffle in the starting 11). Fernandinho ‘in there’ in case needed to solidify the defensive midfield; Ilkay, desperate for minutes Phil & Raheem provide attacking replacement-choices from ‘the 7’.

Notable absences:

-       Claudio Bravo – Injured long-term and possibly the rest of the season.

-       Benjamin Mendy – Injured for around 9-½ weeks.

-       Oleksandr Zinchenko – Injured with a broken nose from last Saturday and unlikely to take part.

-       Brahim Diaz – Not selected.

-       Kevin De Bruyne – Injured for about another 3-½ weeks.

-       Sergio Aguero – Recovering from a slight injury / not risked ahead of Chelsea game.

Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?

It’s a “very good” from me!

Result? What do you get from our hosts? Hufff…well, I’ve seen them play really well and cause havoc to ‘the oppo’ in brief spells and, then again, be-totally all over the place in other periods of games. Put it another way...they’re unpredictable (remember when we were like that?). They’ve also lost 3 and drawn 1 in their last 4 games.

With a more-solid-looking (predicted) defence than perhaps we had last weekend, it’s an away win for me.

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…

Prediction: Win.

Result: Win.

Expected weather conditions during the game: Overcast and chilly at 5C but little chance of rain.