Manchester City

If Hayden Mullins was in any doubt as to the size of his task this evening, Watford’s biggest ever top-flight home defeat (0-6 in September 2017) and biggest ever overall league defeat (0-8 in September 2019) have come against Manchester City.

If there was a fight between the players and Nigel Pearson they would have had to make more than two changes so that puts that to bed.

Nope - it's a very, very, very strong Manchester City side.

Hayden Mullins makes two changes for his first game back in caretaker charge of Watford. Adrian Mariappa takes the place of Adam Masina, who had been struggling with an injury but makes the bench.

In attack, Danny Welbeck drops to the substitutes, with Roberto Pereyra stepping into the starting XI.

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Manchester City make four changes from the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Arsenal at the weekend.

Joao Cancelo comes in for Banjemin Mendy in defence. Further forward, Rodri replaces Ilkay Gundogan, while Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva start in place of Riyad Mahrez and David Silva.

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Team news incoming. Maybe Pep will do Watford a favour and just play his entire youth team...

Confident? Nervous? Furious? Bereft?

Let us know how you are all feeling.

Watford

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Nigel Pearson could have been a contender for Premier League manager of the year rather than being sacked by Watford, says West Ham's David Moyes.

Pearson, 56, was sacked with fourth-bottom Watford three points clear of safety and two games left to play.

He won seven Premier League matches since taking over in December, but the Hornets made the decision after Friday's loss at West Ham.

"I was amazed that Watford have done what they've done," Moyes said.

"If Watford had stayed up - and I think they've still got a great chance of staying up - he could easily have been recommended for manager of the year, with the position they were in when he took over."

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A Watford win would nearly relegate Villa before they play later - it could depend on goal difference, though the teams are very tight.

Should Villa get beaten tonight, and the Hornets DO NOT lose, then Villa will be back in the Championship.

A Villa loss and a Watford loss would take it to the final day of the season.

A point for Watford tonight would cement Bournemouth's relegation too.

Let's have a look at the situation facing Watford and Aston Villa tonight then.

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In much the same way that Mark Hughes took credit for keeping Southampton up the other year, Hayden Mullins could get absolutely trounced in his two games in charge and still deliver survival. Watford are in the box seats.

BUT a win for Aston Villa tonight and the final day of the season could promise to be a real nail-biter...

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The day you become weary of a Watford managerial change is perhaps the day you become weary of life itself.

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But even by the 21st Century standards at Vicarage Road, the decision to pot Nigel Pearson with two games left and Premier League survival within his very grasp seemed an odd call.

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Was there a punch-up in the dressing room? Was the performance against West Ham so bad that change had to happen?

Or did the owners just get bored having not sacked a manager in 2020 yet?

Who knows. What we do know is Hayden Mullins has been thrown either the chance of a lifetime or under the bus.