Arsenal vs. Watford
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Kick off: 3PM
Arsenal head into today’s Premier League showdown with Watford having recorded six successive victories in all competitions.
Watford remain in fourth place in the top-flight standings, but the Hornets are without a win since before the international break.
Arsenal have been far from convincing in many of their opening eight matches of the season, but half-a-dozen wins in all competitions have given Unai Emery something to work with at the Emirates Stadium.
The Spaniard will want to see improvements from a defence which continues to look susceptible when put under pressure, but Emery will be delighted that his first-team squad have already started to develop a winning mentality.
Last week’s clash with Everton could have gone a different way with the Toffees squandering numerous chances at the Emirates Stadium, while the Gunners were fortunate to go two goals ahead with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s effort coming from an offside position.
However, Emery will take all of the luck that he can at a time when Arsenal have avoided dropping off the pace after defeats to both Manchester City and Chelsea during the opening two weekends of the campaign.
The North London outfit have now netted at least two goals in each of their last seven matches, and Emery’s side will prevail more often than not should they continue to create so many opportunities in the final third.
The fixture list is relatively kind to Arsenal until the end of November and if another positive result can be recorded this afternoon, they can continue to be an active part in the race for the title and top four this season.
Watford however have lost some of the momentum which they had put together before the international break, but there is an argument that the Hornets should still be considered as one of the form teams in the country.
A narrow home defeat to Manchester United ended the club’s winning start to the campaign, but decisions went against Watford in their Premier League visit to Fulham and the EFL Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur.
A trip to the Emirates Stadium continues a tough set of fixtures for Watford, but Javi Gracia will be aware that the short trip to North London is the last showdown with a top-six club until November 24.
That could result in Gracia attempting to ease the pressure on his side, with Watford still sitting in a Champions League spot and – perhaps more importantly – holding an 11-point cushion above the relegation zone.
Arsenal possible XI: Cech, Bellerin, Mustafi, Sokratis, Monreal, Ramsey, Xhaka, Torreira, Ozil, Aubameyang, Lacazette.
Watford possible XI: Foster, Janmaat, Cathcart, Mariappa, Holebas, Pereyra, Capoue, Doucoure, Hughes, Gray, Deeney.