Manchester City got their season back on track as they beat Watford 2-0 at the Etihad stadium to ease the pressure on manager Pep Guardiola.
Having lost consecutive league matches, City had receivedplenty of criticism before the match, but the playersdid their talking on the pitch as goals from Pablo Zabaleta and David Silva earned the hosts their first win of December.
Both managers madea number of changes to their respective sides, with Nicolas Otamendi one of the players coming into the City side in place of John Stones, whilst Watford bossWalter Mazzarri had to make do without last Saturday's match-winner Stefano Okaka, who was unable to shake off a hamstring problem.
Despite making a bright opening to the match, the hosts struggled to breakdown their opponents in the early stages of the game.Kevin De Bruyne and Nolito did at least manage to work Heurelho Gomes in the Watford goal but the Brazilian was largely untroubled for much of the opening half-hour.
19. Promising opening from City - plenty of slick, accurate passing but reckon a little more urgency is needed to truly trouble Watford. pic.twitter.com/w5Lguri8Ch
But having looked comfortable for most of the opening period, a lapse in concentration among the Hornets backline saw City take the lead in the 32nd minute.
De Bruyne was able to drift into the area from wide and his floatedcross across goal
was met at the back-post by the unmarked Zabaleta, who had acres of room tovolley the ball into the netto give Guardiola's men the breakthrough.
With their tails up, the home side spent the rest of the half pressing for a second goal, but Yaya Toure blazed over with his team's best effort as Mazzarri's men stood firm to head into the break only one down.
42. CITY SUB | #cityvwatford #mcfc
⬅� @IlkayGuendogan (injured)
➡� @fernando_reges pic.twitter.com/bsOvSLqjsS
The hosts continued to go in search of more goals in the second half and just moments after Nolito was denied by a last ditch tackle, Raheem Sterling was unlucky to see his brilliant run and shot crash against the visitor's crossbar.
67. The Hornets are going for this now with three forwards on, but hopefully more space for City to exploit. Exciting finish to come! #mcfc pic.twitter.com/Hnxav0GwVc
It seemed inevitable that City would eventually double their lead but as the minutes ticked by their second remained elusive and sensing a chance, Mazzarri chose to make some attacking changes to his side.
67. The Hornets are going for this now with three forwards on, but hopefully more space for City to exploit. Exciting finish to come! #mcfc pic.twitter.com/Hnxav0GwVc
Having not kept a clean sheet since late October, most ofthe Etihad crowdwas understandably nervous about their precarious lead and they were relieved to see Claudio Bravo make a decent stop at his near post from Etienne Capoue's close range strike.
Odion Ighalo then wasted a glorious chance minutes later, when he volleyed over followingNordin Amrabat'swonderful curled ball over the top of the City defence.
The visitor's were made to pay for their wastefulness,as the Citizens finally found the all important second goal in the 85th minute to ease the tension amongst their supporters.
A counter attackled by Sterling eventuallyled to the winger squaring the ball to Silva, who lashed the ball into the net to kill the game off and seal a crucial victory for Guardiola's men.
The win means that City remain in fourth, but have closed the gap between them and their next opponents Arsenal, as the two sides prepare to meet at the Etihad on Sunday. Watford meanwhile drop into the bottom half of the table but remain a comfortable nine points above the relegation zone.
CITY XI | Bravo, Zabaleta (C), Otamendi, Kolarov, Clichy, Gundogan, Toure, Sterling, De Bruyne, Silva, Nolito #cityvwatford #mcfc
#watfordfc line-up v @ManCity: Gomes (GK) (c); Janmaat, Prödl, Britos, Holebas; Pereyra, Guedioura, Capoue; Amrabat, Ighalo, Sinclair. pic.twitter.com/CAp6r8LS3Y