Watford vs Man City result: Visitors highlight Hornets’ lack of hope and identity as relegation looms

Watford 0-4 Man City: Raheem Sterling netted twice before Phil Foden and Aymeric Laporte turned the result into a thrashing

The bad news is that Watford no longer have the four-goal cushion on goal difference over Aston Villa in 17th and Bournemouth in 18th. The good news is that their lead of three points means matters are still in their hands unless Villa pull off an unlikely win against Arsenal later this evening.

The more worrying news is that on the evidence of this 0-4 defeat by Manchester City, they do not look capable of picking up anything at the Emirates from their last game of the season.

For as much as this was a clinical if not a typically fluid City performance – with a brace from Raheem Sterling, one each for Phil Foden and Aymeric Laporte – Watford outed themselves as a team without an identity. One who, regardless of how the cards fall on the last day of the season, have a lot more soul searching to do ahead of next season’s campaign. A team needing to scrap spent more time bickering among themselves, and as tetchy on the ball as they were with each other.

The inescapable facts are that Nigel Pearson took over with Watford bottom with just eight points and left with them out of the relegation zone by three points. And while there is talk of tactical disagreements and more personal ones between Pearson and the Pozzo family – and a few quieter nods to issues with some players – it was hard to tell who here at Vicarage Road had benefited from his dismissal. Certainly not Hayden Mullins or Graham Stack, the two caretakers now in charge of this dysfunctional group, even if only for one more game.

For the hosts this was the kind of defeat that flies in the face of the perceived wisdom that the pitch offers sanctuary when off-field matters are go awry. Sure, football can provide a useful distraction to issues beyond the touchline, as the last few weeks have shown. But there was nothing for them here.

Not when stepping back into the midst of a relegation battle, needing a win for safety against a side who not only cuffed them 8-0 back in September but are nursing wounds of their own.

Saturday’s defeat in the FA Cup semi-final by Arsenal has taken another piece of silverware off the agenda for Manchester City. And there’s no fury quite like a scorned Pep Guardiola.

In anticipation of an onslaught, Watford fortified their midfield with five to support a defence of four. They also threw bodies in the stands to build up the atmosphere for this, the last home game of a challenging campaign.

Backroom staff were a vocal presence throughout the Sir Elton John Stand. Even some of the administrative staff were dotted around at a safe social distance. All offering encouragement ranging from shouted positional instructions or merely enthusiastic applause.

But by the start of the second half, the noise in the stand had subsided, replaced instead by Watford players berating each other. Ben Foster and Troy Deeney exchanged a few barbs from 30 yards apart, while Craig Dawson did his best to quell the tension. When three senior players are involved in that kind of chastise a trois, it does make you wonder how much the previous manager, the one before and the other one before were the problem, here.

Watford captain Troy Deeney speaks with Man City’s Kevin De Bruyne at full-time (2020 Pool)

For the most part, Watford were engaged if not engaging. City could not make more of their possession in the opening 30 minutes. At times, Ederson had the whole defensive half to himself as 10 in light blue stayed camped in the other.

With 31 on the clock, though, the first dagger slipped through yellow-and-black protection. A cross from Phil Foden out on the left made its way to Kyle Walker on the right. The repeat cross found Sterling, who powered into the top corner.

Will Hughes, ever willing, was perhaps at fault, failing to cut out Walker’s ball – replays suggesting a more committed waving of his left foot would have prevented it from reaching Sterling. But he has certainly attributed the blame for the second, when Sterling’s sharp footwork on the edge of the box from a Foden pass looked to have fooled the midfielder.

On closer inspection, Hughes seemed to have won the challenge fairly. But it was the kind of decision that goes against you when you’re grubbing it out at the bottom. Likewise the bounce of the ball, as Foster found out when a firm hand saved Sterling’s penalty but dropped the ball back to the winger to covert at the second attempt. It was the England international’s 19th league goal of the season, the most he’s scored in a single campaign.

There were opportunities for Sterling to make it 20 twice before the second-half drinks break. The first, hit high, drew another save from Foster after the keeper had snuffed out a Gabriel Jesus one-on-one which was set-up by his own teammate.

The second – another tick next to Foster’s name – broke to Foden to score his sixth goal of the season and first away from home. Though Sterling was not able to build his career-best, Kevin De Bruyne was able to notch a 19th assist to the season, drawing himself a step closer to former Belgium coach Theirry Henry’s tally of 20. A cross from a free-kick out wide on the right was headed into the far corner by Laporte brought it up.

It could have been worse: Jesus finally found space of his own to head in at the death only for a flag to rule it out for offside. A moment earlier, Danny Welbeck was set through with the chance to pull one back for Watford to re-establish that goal difference lead.

You probably already guessed he missed and ended flat on his face. It was Watford’s evening in a nutshell. Perhaps even their season.