City led in the first minute when David Silva was set up by Kevin De Bruyne, with the champions maintaining their frantic early scoring pace to go 5-0 up inside 18 minutes.

That in itself was a Premier League record, but City could not quite manage to equal the competition’s biggest ever win, Manchester United’s 9-0 defeat of Ipswich Town in 1995.

Bernardo Silva hit a hat-trick as City impressively bounced back from a shock loss at the hands of injury-hit Norwich City last time out in league action.

The emphatic result boosts their goal difference to +18 and moves them within two points of leaders Liverpool, who are away to Chelsea on Sunday.

As for bottom club Watford – who replaced Javi Gracia with Quique Sanchez Flores earlier this month – they will have to reflect on their heaviest defeat ever in league competition.

City also humiliated Watford in last season’s FA Cup final, running out 6-0 winners with Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling each scoring a brace at Wembley.

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