In the sleek Guardiola era, narrow victories over the likes of Watford were not supposed to trigger feelings of relief around Manchester City.

These, however, have been a strange, stuttering few months at the Etihad Stadium and, but for Odion Ighalo blazing wide from six yards shortly before the end, the most unlikely statistic of Pep Guardiola’s time here – that City had not won a home league game since September 17 – might have endured. There was, nevertheless, a price to be paid for the points. Late in the first half, Ilkay Gundogan collided heavily with Nordin Amrabat and was forced off.

As it was, they were rescued by their old guard with goals from Pablo Zabaleta and David Silva, men who have endured the full range of emotions that Manchester City has to offer. Raheem Sterling might have wrapped matters up earlier but his shot skimmed the crossbar and then, once Ighalo’s chance had raised fears of another squandered opportunity, City broke away and this time Silva did not miss.

Pablo Zabaleta celebrates after putting Manchester City ahead (Getty)

The match had been framed by Pep Guardiola’s pre-match press conference in which, following the 4-2 defeat at Leicester, the Premier League’s most unsackable manager had argued without any prompting that he could be fired. He might be sacked but not until City start having league derbies with Oldham and Kevin de Bruyne has been sold to Manchester United.

Nevertheless, the fact remained that Manchester City had not won a home game of any description since the triumphant evisceration of Barcelona on the first night in November. The casualty was John Stones, described by his manager at Everton as the best English defender since Bobby Moore - and there were times when you thought that for once Roberto Martinez was not exaggerating.

There was not, in truth, much defending to be done. The Watford manager, Walter Mazzarri, had made a big decision of his own. Troy Deeney, the club captain, who had not scored in eight games, joined Stones on the bench. His place went to Jerome Sinclair, who made his first start since joining from Liverpool in the summer.

Raheem Sterling attempts to get away from Adlene Guedioura and Miguel Britos (Getty)

Manchester City probed and prodded; Huerelho Gomes made a fine save from De Bruyne, some crosses whistled across the six yard line. However, Watford kept their shape and their discipline admirably.

They lost Roberto Pereyra when the game was barely half an hour old. The Argentine fell heavily in front of Guardiola on the touchline, who looked concerned and ordered his team to put the ball out of play. Some in the home crowd began booing and then when he collapsed again they booed him off.

It sounded untypically ignorant, perhaps born of frustration. It was still officially summer when they had last seen Manchester City win at home in the Premier League and Watford looked like being another team who would just manage to cling on at the Etihad.

Ilkay Gundogan nods on a high ball (Getty)

Those who had travelled up from Hertfordshire knew they would do well to hold out indefinitely – Watford had not won in the blue half of Manchester since April 1987 when City were hurtling towards relegation. Their last journey to the North West had seem them thrashed 6-1 at Liverpool.

Two minutes after Pereyra’s substitution, they cracked. De Bruyne sent in a cross from the left that was meant for and missed Gundogan. However, it fell perfectly for Zabaleta who met the ball on the half volley at the far post.

The crowd erupted. It is hard in these days of image rights, bodyguards and limousines with darkened windows for fans to feel close to those they support but Pablo Zabaleta, the oldest of Manchester City’s old guard, is genuinely loved. When he ran to the stands clutching the badge on his shirt, it did not feel like faked emotion.

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Bravo; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Kolarov, Clichy; Gundogan (Fernando 44), Toure; Sterling, De Bruyne, Silva; Nolito. Substitutes: Caballero (g), Sagna, Navas, Sane, Stones, Iheanacho.