Nothing screams about the strength of the Manchester City team like Gabriel Jesus, who came in and scored four times to keep them at the top of the league.
Jesus has started less than half of City’s games this season and owes his place to Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, who died before Tuesday’s Champions League extravaganza against Real Madrid.
Still, Pep Guardiola wants to win the Premier League and with backups like his 25-year-old Brazilian can.
Gabriel Jesus scored four goals and assisted when Manchester City beat Watford on Saturday afternoon
Brazilian striker Jesus was in stunning form, scoring twice in each half to give his side a convincing victory.
The Brazilian international has been linked with leaving the club in recent days, but was in shape on Saturday afternoon
MATCH FACTS AND PLAYERS ‘EVALUATIONS
Man City (4-3-3): Ederson 5.5: Cancello 6, Diaz 6, Laporte 6 (Ake 63 6), Zinchenko 8; De Bruyne 8 (Gundogan 57 6.5), Rodri 8 (Marez 70 6), Fernandinho 6.5; Jesus 9, sterling 5.5, Grillish 6
Unused alternates: Steffen (Gk), Bernardo, Foden, Egan-Riley, Mbete, Palmer
Goals: Jesus 4, 23, 49pen & 53, Rodri 34
Reserved: Cancello
Watford (4-3-3): Foster 6; Ngakiya 6, Kabasele 6, Samir 5.5 (Katkart 68 6), Kamara 7; Sissoko 6, Luza 6 (Cayembe 75 6), Cleverley 6.5; Sar 5.5 (Pedro 68 6), King 6.5, Denis 6
Unused alternates: Bachmann (Gk), Troost-Ekong, Masina, Gosling, Sema, Nkulu
Goal: Chamber 28
Referee: Kevin Friend 6
Signed as a central striker, Jesus starts from a wider position these days, but keeps an eye out for a goal that was too sharp for Watford, who remain in the last three seven safety points.
Jesus actually stood in the six-yard line for his first two goals, finished his first hat-trick in the Premier League on a penalty he won by invading the zone, and then added a fourth from the “far” – maybe 10 yards.
As a good measure, he assisted on City’s other goal, returning for Rodri’s thunderous half-volley. Watford’s goal, which briefly gave them hope at 2-1, was an orderly finish by Hassane Kamara, but it was due more to City’s complacency than anything else.
Roy Hodgson has won three times as a manager at The Etihad, but the fourth was never on the cards. It was the 15th straight win for City against Watford, who are ready for the championship, especially if they can’t beat Burnley next weekend.
Meanwhile, City’s outlook for the fourth Premier League in five years looks good, as they have moved four points away from Liverpool, which could reduce the gap in today’s derby in Merseyside.
As for Jesus, the claim that the matchball is not a guarantee that he will start against Real on Tuesday night. In fact, his main hope may be because Guardiola has a right-back crisis with an injured Kyle Walker, punished Joao Cancello and John Stones also has doubts after being expelled from yesterday’s team.
“Today was my day,” said the goal scorer, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal due to a lack of playing time at City. “We played very well, we made passes and passes to create and we were good in the final.
“It was my first hat-trick in the Premier League. Sometimes I scored two and then hit the crossbar or was blocked or saved.
“Kevin is an amazing player and he gave me a very good cross. We can’t watch Liverpool. They can win all their matches, but we are ahead, so we have to do our job. ‘
Watford’s rearguard lasted only four minutes. Joao Cancello bombed forward down and centering one far back found the other, Alexander Zinchenko, on the far post.
The Ukrainian had time to look up and place his cross in the way of Jesus, who was standing in the right place to break through his finale for the first time past Ben Foster.
Watford briefly threatened to return to the game when Hassane Kamara scored for them in the first half
However, midfielder Rodri soon regained control of Man City with a wonderful final from the edge of the penalty area
The only obstacle for City was the complacency with Emmanuel Denis, who almost took advantage of Cancello’s loose play before being denied a free goal by Zinchenko’s great save.
At the other end, Foster saved from Cancello and Jesus, but was powerful against the genius of Kevin de Bruyne after 23 minutes.
Finding a place on the right, the Belgian threw a cross at a perfect angle so that Jesus could nod and defeat Foster on the first bounce.
Looking down into the barrel, Watford unexpectedly pushed himself in after 27 minutes, leaving Guardiola waving his arms in disgust and sitting still, still moving.
Then 25-year-old Jesus finished his hat-trick when he won and scored a penalty shortly after half time.
He then scored his fourth goal of the match shortly afterwards to complete the defeat of Etihad Stadium
It was a good goal. Josh King held the ball to the left and found Dennis. The striker then chose Hassane Kamara’s run, which was not noticed by City’s defense.
Ivory Coast entered the penalty area and beat Ederson with a low cross for their first goal for Watford after signing from Nice in January.
Danger was the last thing City wanted, so there was relief when they increased the lead again to 3-1 in half an hour. It was a strange accumulation with De Bruyne, who was lying wounded after injuring his ankle. Jesus regained his possession and threw a cross back to Rodri, who was standing next to the defeated De Bruyne.
The Spaniard took advantage of any confusion of Watford, making a perfect half-volley in the top corner of 25 yards.
The result puts Pep Guardiola’s team four points ahead of Liverpool, who play Everton in the Merseyside derby on Sunday.
Jesus, already with two goals and an assist in his name, gave Sterling a chance, but the England striker exploded from eight yards.
Within 14 seconds of the second half, Jesus got his chance for a hat trick when he rushed into the penalty area and was punctured by Foster’s stretched shoe.
After a three-minute VAR delay, he converted the point himself, sending Watford’s goalkeeper the wrong way – but he wasn’t ready yet.
In the 54th minute, when the visitors’ defense retreated, he exchanged one or two with De Bruyne and crashed with a foot of eight yards to bring the result for the season to 11.
After the points of De Bruyne, Aymeric Laporte and Rodri were eliminated to face the semifinals of the Champions League.
At least Watford did not give up despite the one-sided result. They deserved to score the final goal when the reserve Joao Pedro scored a direct free kick with his head from close range. But the truth is that City’s second XI can beat most Premier League teams these days.
Meanwhile, things look bleak for Watford’s Roy Hodgson, who is now seven safety points away from five games so far.
Here’s Sportsmail’s live blog for updates on the Premier League clash between Manchester City and Watford, along with reports of Leicester vs. Aston Villa and Norwich vs. Newcastle.
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