How do you stop Manchester City duo Sergio Aguero and David Silva? Many managers have tried and most have failed. Tomorrow it’s Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores’ turn. Can the Spaniard stop the pair whose careers he helped nurture?

“They are players who have left more of an impression on me than any other,” Flores said ahead of tomorrow’s game. “Now I have to try and stop them.

“They are difficult to control and they now have more experience than when I coached them. It will be a good experience to see them again because we had good memories at Valencia and at Atletico Madrid.”

Flores spent two years coaching a young Silva at Valencia. The diminutive attacker may have blossomed into one of the world’s most creative players since then but he made in instant impact on Watford’s head coach.

“The first time I saw Silva was on pre-season with Valencia,” he said. “He was only around 19 years old and joined us late because he competed at the Under-19s World Cup.

“But when he joined up with us, wow. He never lost the ball and he controlled the ball no matter where it came to him. It was amazing. I’ve had the same impression of Silva since then.”

Tomorrow won’t be the first time Flores has had to try and stop former Atletico Madrid striker Aguero. Before he helped shape one of the Premier League’s best ever players the Argentine was an opponent.

“When I was Valencia coach we played Aguero maybe four times,” he said. “So I knew him a little bit. I remember talking to Raul Albiol, one of my central defenders, after the first time we played against Aguero.

“We won the game 1-0 at the Vicente Calderon but when we went into the dressing room Raul said: ‘Coach, it’s impossible to stop Aguero. It’s impossible to take the ball. He either protects it or he would turn and run. It’s impossible’.

“When I trained Aguero a couple of years later I understood everything. He is an incredible player.”

So Watford’s head coach has an inside track on two of City’s most dangerous players. His task is to try and stop them inflicting a first Premier League defeat on the Golden Boys.

“We will try and disconnect those players,” he said. “It’s difficult but nothing is impossible. It’s the opposite, everything is possible in football.

“We disconnected a side like Everton, why can’t we do that against Manchester City?”

We'll find out the answer to that question at 5pm tomorrow. But no matter what result, Aguero is looking forward to seeing his former boss. 

The striker told Manchester City's website: "Quique knew how to lead the group very well. He's an industrious manager who knows how to put the qualities of his players to good use.

"I was glad when I learned he was coming over to the Premier League and this Saturday I'll have a chance to catch up with him once more and greet him when we play against Watford.

"Of course, on this occasion we'll be on opposing sides but I hope it's a good match and, of course, that we are able to win it. After that, I hope Quique has a great season with Watford.”