Manchester City resist late Watford surge for 7th straight victory

Manchester City hung on for a 2-1 win over Watford despite dominating the vast majority of Tuesday's meeting at Vicarage Road.

Hornets goalkeeper Ben Foster pawed and swatted aside a series of City chances in the first half. He was eventually breached on 40 minutes when Leroy Sane used his chest to divert home Riyad Mahrez's cross.

City seemed to be strolling to another comfortable Premier League win when Mahrez lashed past Foster six minutes after the restart, but Abdoulaye Doucoure bundled the ball over the line in the closing stages to ensure a nervy ending for the visitors.

The victory means Pep Guardiola's reigning champions are unbeaten in their last 14 away matches in the league, scoring 32 and conceding just six.

Watford can take encouragement from their performance. Heads didn't drop when the hosts went two goals down. Foster rolled back the years between the sticks, and his opposite number Ederson was called into action several times before Doucoure forced the ball in. The midfielder's goal was just the second City have conceded on the road in the current league campaign, following Willy Boly's dubious effort for Wolverhampton Wanderers back in August.

Watford will look to arrest their six-game winless run at Everton next Monday, while City continue their pursuit of back-to-back titles two days earlier against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.