Having lost each of their last 15 meetings with Manchester City by a combined score of 58-8, Watford would have feared the worst when they travelled north to take on Pep Guardiola's men in the third round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday.

For the fifth time in their last six games in all competitions, the Hornets conceded inside the first five minutes through Jeremy Doku, before Portuguese midfielder Matheus Nunes added a second later in the first period, but the Hertfordshire club grabbed a late consolation through a brilliant Tom Ince curler.

Looking at the bigger picture, Tuesday's narrow defeat at the home of the Premier League champions means that Watford are now winless in their last four Championship and EFL Cup games, a far cry from the sensational run of form that saw them win five straight matches in August.

The Hornets' heaviest defeat of the campaign came in their last outing in the second tier on 21 September, when a trip to East Anglia turned sour for Tom Cleverley's side, with goals from Callum Doyle, Borja Sainz, Marcelino Nunez and Ben Chrisene sealing a 4-1 win for Norwich City.

Despite their struggles since the end of the month, Watford's fine home form will give them confidence going into this weekend's clash with the Black Cats, with Saturday's hosts unbeaten in their last six matches at Vicarage Road, including a pre-season friendly against Premier League Brentford at the start of August.

In front of scouts from Champions League finalists Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, Sunderland starlet Chris Rigg set the tone for his side's final Championship game last weekend when the promising 17-year-old scored the only goal of the game to see off Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light.

Since their return from the depths of League One in 2022, the Black Cats' squad has been full of youngsters with potential, although, as was the case last season, the environment for such players to thrive has not always been there, with the north-east giants finishing 16th in the second tier after a troubled 2023-24 campaign.

With the disappointment of Ligue 1 relegation firmly behind him as Lorient boss, Regis Le Bris is beginning to change the narrative at the Stadium of Light after a difficult 12 months, with the Frenchman guiding Sunderland to five wins from his first seven games in charge.

Last weekend's maximum against Michael Carrick's Boro left the Black Cats in second place in the Championship with a commendable 15 points from six games, just one point behind leaders West Bromwich Albion heading into the October international break.

Fittingly for a club with a strong emphasis on nurturing young talent, 21-year-old Romaine Mundle leads the early race for Sunderland's Golden Boot with three strikes in six Championship appearances, despite the striker netting just once in 11 appearances last season.

Watford's first-choice goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann has been ruled out until next month with a muscle injury, with back-up Jonathan Bond continuing between the sticks.

The Hornets will also be without the services of Francisco Sierralta, who is hoping to return from a muscle problem after the October international break.

Aaron Connolly, who signed on a free after being released by Hull City in the summer, could make his Sunderland debut at Vicarage Road this weekend.

The 17-year-old, who has enjoyed a breakthrough start to the season, is set to join Jobe Bellingham and Daniel Neil in the Black Cats' engine room.

The visitors will be without the services of Ajibola Alese and Jenson Seelt, leaving Le Bris short of cover at the back.

Watford possible starting lineup:

Bond; Pollock, Porteous, Morris; Andrews, Dele-Bashiru, Sissoko, Sema; Baah, Chakvetadze, Bayo

Sunderland possible starting lineup:

Patterson; Hume, Mepham, O'Nien, Cirkin; Neil, Bellingham; Roberts, Rigg, Mundle; Mayenda

Prediction:Watford 2-2 Sunderland

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