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Recommended bets
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Arsenal are unbeaten in six meetings with Watford, winning five of these. Overall, the Hornets have won just three of their last 17 meetings with the Gunners, recording just one home victory over them since 1987. Arsenal have never failed to score in a Premier League match against Watford.
Under 2.5 goals is 4/5.
Both teams to score NO is 3/4.
Arsenal to win and both teams to score NO is 7/5.
Emile Smith Rowe has scored ten goals in all competitions this season. He is 7/1 to break the deadlock and 12/5 to add to his impressive tally.
Match preview
Arsenal are back in action, hoping to continue their push for Champions League football.
Last time out, ten days ago, Mikel Arteta’s side beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 at home, despite falling behind just ten minutes in.
Nicolas Pépé came off the bench and changed the game, equalising ten minutes from time before, in the 95th minute, Alexandre Lacazette forced in a winner.
That made it three straight victories for the Gunners, following an away win over Wolves and a home victory against Brentford.
So, in the table, Arsenal are sixth, just two points behind fourth-placed Manchester United with three games in hand.
Given that they still have to play Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and Man United, they can’t afford to drop points in matches like this one.
The good news is that Arsenal have found the net in all 15 Premier League games against Watford, only boasting a better 100% record against West Bromwich Albion.
This is the challenge facing Roy Hodgson’s team but, since the 74 year old’s appointment, he has tightened up the defence, keeping three clean sheets in six games.
This is as many as Watford had managed in their previous 38 top-flight encounters that had been overseen by four different managers.
On the flip side, the Hornets have only scored twice under Hodgson, accumulating five points, thanks largely to a 1-0 victory at Villa Park.
Then, last weekend, this new-found defensive resilience earned them a goalless draw at Old Trafford, despite the host’s xG figure of 2.53.
Nevertheless, the Golden Boys remain 19th, three points below Everton and safety.
Who will claim three priceless points at Vicarage Road?
Watford team news
In recent games, it’s been classic Roy Hodgson football; 4-4-2 and all about shape and hard-work.
Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis, obviously, is their main goal threat having scored nine times so far, including in all five of Watford’s victories.
Ismaïla Sarr did start last weekend but is now injured again so Dennis is likely to be joined up top by Josh King and João Pedro.
In defence, Samir and Hassane Kamara, who signed under Claudio Ranieri in January, could prove to be key editions if Watford survive.
Goalkeeper Ben Foster has faced Arsenal 20 times in his career, losing 15 of these, conceding 35 times and keeping zero clean sheets.
The next most occasions he’s faced an opponent without ever keeping a shutout is Bolton Wanderers (8).
Arsenal team news
Given Arsenal’s very small squad, Mikel Arteta doesn’t have too many options.
Takehiro Tomiyasu hasn’t featured since 20 January against Liverpool and, if he’s still not fit, Cédric will continue at right-back.
Emile Smith Rowe missed the home win over Wolves due to illness but is back for this one, possibly displacing Gabriel Martinelli.
He needs just one more goal this season to become only the second under-21 Arsenal player to hit double figures in a single Premier League campaign.
The other was Nicolas Anelka in 1998/99, who joined Real Madrid for a whopping €25 million that summer.
These days, the Gunners have a less free-scoring French striker in Alexandre Lacazette who’s only netted three times all season.
Nicolas Pépé’s game-changing cameo against Wolves is unlikely to earn him a start, but he’s certainly higher up the substitutes pecking order.
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