Pep Guardiola’s Squad Rotation Pays Off as Manchester City Secure 2-1 Carabao Cup Victory Over Watford
Pep Guardiola’s decision to stick with his game plan and not take up an offer to play Manchester City’s Carabao Cup match against Watford at Vicarage Road was justified after City secured a 2-1 victory.
Despite making several changes to the side that drew 2-2 with Arsenal, Guardiola’s team proved too strong for Watford, easing to a comfortable win even though a late goal from Tom Ince added a touch of drama.
Jeremy Doku, one of the few starters from the Arsenal match, opened the scoring inside five minutes after some poor defending from Watford. Matheus Nunes, making his 34th appearance for the club, doubled City’s lead with his first goal for the Blues in the 38th minute.
Watford, who had made nine changes to prioritize their Championship fixture against Sunderland, struggled to pose any real threat for most of the match.
City handed a debut to 16-year-old Kaden Braithwaite, who became the club’s third-youngest player, and he delivered a solid performance.
Despite some late pressure, including Ince’s curling left-footed strike in the 86th minute, City held on comfortably to secure their place in the next round.
Guardiola will be pleased with the win, particularly with the absence of key midfielder Rodri, who is expected to be sidelined for a significant period due to a knee injury.
The match provided a much-needed straightforward victory after the dramatic weekend draw against Arsenal, and Guardiola’s rotation paid off, ensuring key players were rested while maintaining the team’s momentum.
Pep Guardiola’s Squad Rotation Pays Off as Manchester City Secure 2-1 Carabao Cup Victory Over Watford
