Watford 0 Manchester City 5: WATCH HIGHLIGHTS – Pep Guardiola’s team secure Champions League football after scoring FOUR first-half goals in demolition
Sergio Aguero scored twice with Vincent Kompany, Fernandinho and Gabriel Jesus also on target
MANCHESTER CITY secured passage into next season's Champions League with a demolition of Watford at Vicarage Road.
Pep Guardiola's team needed a win to make sure they were in Europe's top competition but showed no sign of nerves as they blew the Hornets away with FOUR first-half goals.
Man City skipper Vincent Kompany scored after just five minutes before Sergio Aguero scored twice and Fernandinho added another before the break.
Gabriel Jesus scored the only goal of the second half as Walter Mazzarri's reign ended with a truly hapless display.
The Italian was booed and jeered throughout the match with Watford fans clearly to see the club move in a new direction next season.
Pep Guardiola finishes third in his debut Premier League season, 15 points off champions Chelsea.
FACTS, STATS, GOALS & LOLS
- Watford chairman Scott Duxbury FAILED to mention Walter Mazarri in his programme notes. He couldn't even blame late deadlines as the sacked manager - taking charge for the last time - did his own farewell piece in the publication. Even skipper Troy Deeney, hardly his biggest fan, thanked him.
- Mazzarri had six central defenders missing and was forced to name TWO goalkeepers on the bench. When the City goals began to stack up he might have been better having all three keepers on the pitch. Preferably all in goal. One of those reserve keepers Costel Pantilimon was applauded by the Manchester City fans - his former club.
- City boss Pep Guardiola was battling to secure third place and an automatic Champions League slot - as he admits usually enough to get him the sack at a so-called big club.
- Defeat for the Hornets meant their longest losing streak in 44 years. They did defend as if they wanted to get the manager sacked - a bit late for that lads.
- Watford skipper Deeney was named on the bench again having fallen out with the Italian boss when it first happened against Spurs at White Hart Lane. He came on, replacing Nordin Amrabat on the 58th minute. No pressure then to get five goals in just over 30 minutes.
- Sergio Aguero scored two to notch up 33 in all competitions this season - his biggest tally since moving to City.
- The half-time music included Holiday by Madonna. If anyone needs one badly it's Walter Mazzarri... As for his Watford players they were already on the beach.
- Many Watford fans left at half-time. It might have been easier for the plans to to shake the hands of those left individually rather than do a lap of appreciation.
- A bird landed onto the pitch in the second half and had to be picked up by M'Baye Niang and handed to the fourth official. The bird had a claim to be Watford's man (or possibly woman) of the match. Apart from Stefano Okaka forcing Willy Caballero to tip the ball over his bar they did not have a chance in front of goal.
- Still trying to work out why the Vicarage Road floodlights came on at 5.30pm on a Sunday in May. Research showed the sun was not due to set in Watford until 8.57pm. Maybe it was to signify the sun setting on another Watford manager's career.
BIG PICTURE
SOCIAL SAYS
DREAM TEAM RATINGS
Watford: Gomes 5, Janmaat 6 (Eleftheriou 39, 6), Behrami 5, Holebas 5, Mason 6, Cleverley 5, Doucoure 5, Amrabat (Deeney 59, 6), Capoue 6, Niang 6 (Pereira 74, 5), Okaka 5.
Subs not used: Gilmartin, Zuniga, Watson, Pantilimon.
Booked: Doucoure
Manchester City: Caballero 7, Fernandinho 8, Kompany 8, Otamendi 8, Clichy 7, Toure 7 (Sagna 63, 6), Silva 7, De Bruyne 8, Jesus 9, Sane 7 (Navas 62, 6), Aguero 10 (Iheanacho 71, 6)
Subs not used: Sterling, Kolarov, Stones, Gunn.
Goals: Kompany, Aguero (2), Fernandinho, Jesus
WHAT THEY SAID
Huerlho Gomes: "It is important to speak English if you are a manager. They cannot pass on instructions to the players but he tried his best and we thank him for it."