Riyad Mahrez is in the area, near the dead ball line, he pokes the ball knowing Ben Foster is going to be late, penalty.

No need for Foster to make the challenge really. The VAR check changes nothing. What a start and now it could be close to game over.

What a start we have had here and hats off to Watford, who are nearly level.

Somehow Gerard Deulofeu finds himself one on one with Nicolas Otamendi, skins him and sees his dink over Ederson lightly graze off the keeper to go wide.

I'm hearing the goal took 53 seconds. Just what you want when you're going to a ground and looking to keep it tight for a while...

Image source, .

Watford are winless in nine Premier League games since beating Huddersfield Town away on 20 April (D3, L6).

Off and running at the Etihad...

Chris Waddle
Ex-England winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

How will Quique Sanchez Flores approach this game? Brighton had a go here at the Etihad (they still lost 4-0) and Norwich did as well so I wonder if we’ll see more teams trying to attack them.

They'll have to stop the Man City playmakers from playing though and be solid. Man City have got incredible players but they're not physical or particularly defensive.

Saying that, I think if an early goal goes in against them, Watford will struggle here.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola makes four changes to the side beaten by Norwich last week.

Kevin de Bruyne returns and Riyad Mahrez gets a starting slot, while Fernandinho and Benjamin Mendy come in to the defensive setup.

Out go John Stones, Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gundogan and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Fernandinho, Otamendi, Mendy, De Bruyne, Rodri, Silva, Mahrez, Aguero, Bernardo Silva.

Adrian Mariappa and Dimitri Foulquier come in to the Watford side that drew with Arsenal last week. It's a Premier League debut for Foulquier. Andre Gray and Christian Kabasele are the men making way.

Watford XI: Foster, Femenia, Dawson, Mariappa, Holebas, Capoue, Foulquier, Cleverley, Doucoure, Hughes, Deulofeu.

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport at Etihad Stadium

Manchester City are celebrating their 125th anniversary this season and are marking it today with a natty old-school version of their programme from their first match at their old Maine Road ground, in 1923.

That's not quite the last time Watford beat City, but it must feel like it for Hornets fans, who have seen their side beaten in their past 11 meetings in all competitions, conceding 38 goals, including a 6-0 defeat in last season's FA Cup final.

The players are coming out at the Etihad, around a third of the pitch in sunlight and the rest shaded.

Benjamin Mendy looks ultra game for his first start of the season. And now Blue Moon rings out...

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport at Etihad Stadium

Watford have not done any shooting practice as part of their warm-up yet, but they could certainly do with it.

Only Manchester City (102) and Liverpool (91) had more efforts on goal in their first five Premier League games than the Hornets (86) but when it comes to finding the back of the net, the stats tell a different story.

While City and Liverpool both average around a goal every six attempts, Watford’s average is one from every 21.5 attempts - the worst shots-to-goals ratio in the top flight this season.

Watford did manage 31 shots against Arsenal last week of course, but you would have to be a very optimistic Hornets fan to think they are going to manage a similar tally today.

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport at Etihad Stadium

It's scorchio in Manchester today too and the sky above the Etihad Stadium is the colour of Manchester City's home kit, which is a very good thing.

If it is ever the colour of City's away kit - the garish 'rhubarb and custard' effort - then we are in big trouble... there has probably just been a nuclear attack.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

It's so hot in Manchester right now that some are going to the game in socks and flip flops.

Drink it in.

Image source, Getty Images

There are high-fives for Sergio at the Etihad, where Manchester City must respond from last week's humbling at Norwich.

Was it a wobble? Or is it just the kind of ammunition to turn up here and retaliate against Watford?

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola makes four changes to the side beaten by Norwich last week.

Kevin De Bruyne returns and Riyad Mahrez gets a starting slot, while Fernandinho and Benjamin Mendy come in to the defensive setup.

Out go John Stones, Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gundogan and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Fernandinho, Otamendi, Mendy, De Bruyne, Rodri, Silva, Mahrez, Aguero, Bernardo Silva.

Adrian Mariappa and Dimitri Foulquier come in to the Watford side that drew with Arsenal last week. It's a Premier League debut for Foulquier. Andre Gray and Christian Kabasele are the men making way.

Watford XI: Foster, Femenia, Dawson, Mariappa, Holebas, Capoue, Foulquier, Cleverley, Doucoure, Hughes, Deulofeu.