Here's the two teams' average positions (of their touches) so far. As you can see, Watford have spent most of the time in their own half...

Image source, Opta

A first real sight of goal for Manchester City when Watford give the ball away and it is fed to Raheem Sterling, running into the area down the left. His first goal for his new club? No, an excellent block by Craig Cathcart stops his shot from reaching the target.

Aleksandar Kolarov comes over to the right to fire in a free-kick, but curls it over the bar. Moments later he tries to bend another set-piece into the box from out wide on the left. Watford continue to hold out, though.

Image source, Getty Images

Man City have attacked mainly down the left so far, through Aleksandar Kolarov, Raheem Sterling and David Silva. No joy for them yet in terms of creating an opening.

Image source, BBC Opta

City, meanwhile have let the tempo drop and are not coming forward with any real purpose. They have just worked an opening for Jesus Navas, who was over on the left after taking a corner, but he horribly over-hit his cross.

Watford have grown into this game now, and are keeping the ball with a bit more confidence in the City half as well as their own.

When the corner comes in, it falls for Craig Cathcart, who sees his shot blocked by Bacary Sagna, and City are grateful to see the ball trickle wide. A couple more crosses come in from the visitors but City survive.

Better from Watford. Jole Holebas gets forward down the left and his cross is headed behind by Vincent Kompany. A first corner for the Hornets.

Watford are in the same basic 4-2-3-1 shape as City, just a lot deeper right now. The Hornets are doing OK when they spray passes around by the half-way line but they have not got anywhere near the City area yet.

City break quickly this time and Sergio Aguero does get a shot away after running at Craig Cathcart on the edge of the box. It is the first strike on goal of the game but is a tame effort, easily blocked by Cathcart's outstretched foot.

A neat build-up from City ends when Sergio Aguero is crowded out on the edge of the Watford area before he can get a shot away, but the Hornets are doing a lot of defending at the moment.

Image source, Getty Images

Watford have barely made it into the City half since kick-off but they manage a few neat passes here before Yaya Toure clatters into Almen Abdi, earning him a ticking-off from referee Mark Clattenburg. No card is shown but that looked like a final warning to me.

City come forward down the left again but Almen Abdi stops the ball from reaching Sergio Aguero inside the Watford area and goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes hoofs it clear.

Eliaquim Mangala can't get on the end of the corner when it is swung in but Watford fail to clear their lines. City have seen pretty much all of the ball so far.

Raheem Sterling and Aleksandar Kolarov link up well down the left as City mount their first attack, and force their first corner.

Watford get us going.

A few patches of blue in the sky above Etihad Stadium as we prepare to kick off... not many, though - we are talking 80% cloud cover.

Right then, the players are in the tunnel, so not long to go.

Out on the pitch are some City legends - Tony Book and Colin Bell are here to honour Mike Summerbee, who joined the Manchester club almost 50 years ago today. 

MOTD pundit Danny Murphy has taken a look at Manchester City's attack this week - specifically the width offered by Raheem Sterling and Jesus Navas.

Murphy says: "They both keep defenders occupied and also offer a threat in behind defences with their pace. That creates panic, which you did not see when David Silva or Samir Nasri played wide last season.

"Sterling and Navas have given City pace and width that they did not previously have on both flanks, which in turn has given Silva more space in the centre of midfield.  

In-depth analysis on Man City's new-look attack

Image source, EPA