Plenty of blue seats around the Etihad Stadium. 'The Emptihad' as I believe Manchester United fans like to call it. I wouldn't be so cruel.

Late night Christmas shopping in the Manchester Arndale Centre seems to have been more appealing for some Blues fans tonight. They've not missed anything yet.

The visitors are inviting Manchester City to break them down. No sign of it yet. Sustained period of possession ends with a misplaced pass from David Silva. Remember the time and place.

Not much to tell you about this opening quarter of an hour. City shading the possession, 60-40, Watford looking sturdy. 

What has happened to Odion Ighalo? Second (Premier League) season syndrome? The Watford striker tries to wriggle past the City defence in the box, winning a corner which is dealt with.

Watford have not won at Manchester City since 1987 by the way. I was still in nappies. You probably were too.

And they could have been behind. Nolito is left unmarked but glances an eight-yard header well wide.

City go quick with the corner, catching Watford cold. Nolito's drive is unconvincingly pushed out by Heurelho Gomes, the visitors saved by the linesman's flag as an offside Kevin de Bruyne tries to bundle in the loose pass.

Chance. Kevin de Bruyne is picked out by Raheem Sterling's cutback, the Belgian trying to curl into the far corner. Heurelho Gomes sees that coming like a lazy right hook, pushing it out for a corner...

Raheem Sterling has struggled to replicate his early season form in recent weeks. Could tonight be the night to change that? The Manchester City winger tries to motor into the  box, accelerating, reversing, then finding himself down a Watford cul-de-sac.

Confident start from Watford. Nordin Amrabat is seeing plenty of the ball on that right flank. The Moroccan floats in a cross towards the far post, but Nicolas Otamendi heads clear.

First sniff for Watford. Nordin Amrabat easily skips around David Silva, his cross headed clear by Yaya Toure at the near post. Etienne Capoue goes for the spectacular volley from the edge of the box.... Row M.

A quick reminder of the teams? Gotcha.

Man City: Bravo, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Kolarov, Clichy, Toure, Gundogan, Silva, Sterling, Nolito, De Bruyne. Subs: Sagna, Fernando, Caballero, Jesus Navas, Sane, Stones, Iheanacho. 

Watford: Gomes, Amrabat, Janmaat, Prodl, Britos, Holebas, Capoue, Guedioura, Pereyra, Sinclair, Ighalo. Subs: Kaboul, Deeney, Success, Zuniga, Watson, Kabasele, Pantilimon. 

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire) 

City mean business. The home side straight on the front foot through Kevin de Bruyne. Jose Holebas hacking clear from the middle of his own area.

'Hey Jude', as is tradition at the Etihad, blasts out seconds before kick-off. In my Beatles top five that, for sure. Maybe even top three.

Talking of top threes, that is where City are hoping to go. Watford kick off. 

Handshakes all around as the two sets of players stroll into the tunnel. Former Werder Bremen team-mates Kevin de Bruyne and Sebastien Prodl have a chat, as do Brazilian pair Fernando and Heurelho Gomes.

"Come on then boys, let's go," shouts referee Kevin Friend as he leads them out.

Manchester City

Pep Guardiola was wearing that familiar terse/quizzical expression he always wears during interviews as he was questioned in the Etihad tunnel by Match of the Day's Steve Wilson.

Are you surprised by the reaction to the Leicester defeat by the media? 

"No."

Do you think it was an overreaction?

"No. It was the same in Spain and Germany. They can say what they want."

Next question...

Steve Claridge
Ex-Leicester striker at Selhurst Park, BBC Radio 5 live

Manchester City were shambolic against Leicester. The system Pep Guardiola employed beggared belief. He has been guilty of asking his players to do jobs that they don't look comfortable doing.

Guardiola can question the style of play in England but he has to get his own house sorted first.

They were wide open. It was very strange.

Loads of empty seats still at the Etihad. The tram system to the ground has probably conked out.

Plenty of light blue and white Santa hats sat on the heads of those who have already arrived though. Very festive.

Image source, #bbcfootball

Mark Lawrenson - BBC Sport's resident Mystic Meg - makes a prediction for every Premier League game this season against a variety of guests.

Lawro's opponent for this week's fixtures is Colin Murray, host of BBC Radio 5 live's Fighting Talk.

Liverpool fan Murray has graced the Anfield turf as well as the stands and says "I cannot pick Liverpool to lose. I would never do it."

Read Lawro's full predictions v Colin Murray

Think you can do better than Lawro and Colin? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round's Premier League fixtures in our Predictor game.

Watford head coach Walter Mazzarri: "I said this to my players: 'If we put ourselves in front of our opponents we can fight against any Premier League team. If we are 100% ready, we can play against any team in the Premier League and battle for the three points.'

"This is something that gives us a lot of positivity before the game."