Manchester City ran riot on Saturday after putting five goals past Watford in the Premier League game. Striker Gabriel Jesus led the devastating display of attacking football with four goals while midfielder Rodri also got on the scoresheet.
City had the advantage of playing first this weekend, and Pep Guardiola’s side made full use of that opportunity to stretch their lead over Liverpool to four points at the top of the table. Jurgen Klopp’s men will take on Everton in the Merseyside derby with the knowledge that they will have to win to remain within touching distance of City as the title race drags on into its final stretches.
Only days after Jesus was linked with a possible move to Arsenal following speculation that City have wrapped up the transfer of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, the Brazilian went ahead and smashed four goals to secure a majestic win over relegation-threatened Watford who remain seven points from safety with five matches remaining this season.
Jesus found the back of the net inside the first five minutes. It seemed like City, who had scored five goals inside the first 18 minutes on Watford’s last visit to the Etihad in 2019 will run away once again in the first 45. The Brazilian then stretched City’s lead to two in the 23rd minute, thanks to a stupendous cross from Kevin De Bruyne on the left.
The forward completed his hattrick just minutes after the restart. City were awarded a penalty after goalkeeper Ben Foster fouled Jesus inside the box. He powered the ball home into the far corner to register the fourth hattrick in his career.
The Brazil international then made it four in the 53rd minute after getting on the end of a fantastic one-touch build-up play. The 25-year-old also got himself on the assists book after he picked out Rodri at the edge of the box. He unleashed a powerful effort to smash the ball home and score the goal of the day. Although Watford had also grabbed a goal through Hassane Kamara, it proved to be nothing more than a consolation.
Guardiola was adamant after the victory that it changed nothing. He thinks his side will have to win all five games in order to be crowned as champions.
“When we won against Brighton we were two points behind [before the game], now we’re four in front. Brighton was a ‘final’. We had another ‘final’ today and we won it. Now we have an opportunity to play a ‘final’ against Leeds. Nothing changes. We have to win all five games to be champions,”
he told Sky Sport after the game.
