Watford are goalless at half time of their Premier League clash with Manchester City

Both sides have come close but Joe Hart and Heurelho Gomes have produced good stops to keep their respective teams level.

Quique Sanchez Flores made two changes to the side which started Monday’s defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. Allan Nyom and Jose Holebas replaced Ikechi Anya and the suspended Nathan Ake.

The majority of the Hornets players were starting their third game in eight days. But it didn’t show.

From the first whistle Watford were busy chasing down City and pressurising the home side’s back four.

It didn’t take long for their effort to pay off. First Almen Abdi drove a shot over from 20 yards before Nicolas Otamendi’s last ditch tackle denied Odion Ighalo.

The Nigerian came even closer moments later. Abdi found Watford’s top scorer on the edge of the penalty area. Ighalo rolled past Otamendi and only a good save from Joe Hart denied the Hornets an early opener.

City took time to settle into the contest. Kevin De Bruyne forced Heurelho Gomes into a stop with an effort from distance.

The next save Watford’s goalkeeper had to make was to smother a shot from Fernandinho after the visitors’ midfielder had been put through by David Silva.

Aleksandar Kolarov was next to try his luck for City but his fierce drive comfortably cleared Gomes’ crossbar.

Watford faded as an attacking threat has the half had progressed and Hart was untested following his early save from Ighalo.

But defensively the Hornets looked solid and, has so often been the cast this season, the game was goalless at the interval.

Watford: Gomes; Nyom, Cathcart, Britos, Holebas; Capoue, Watson; Abdi, Deeney, Jurado; Ighalo.

Watford substitutes: Arlauskis, Prödl, Behrami, Guedioura, Anya, Berghuis, Oulare.

Manchester City: Hart, Kolarov, Otamendi, Mangala, Sagna, Yaya Toure, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Silva, Aguero, Sterling.

Manchester City substitutes: Caballero, Bony, Navas, Zabaleta, Fernando, Clichy, Demichelis.