Arsenal took a big leap towards securing a top-four berth after a nervy win at FA Cup finalists Watford.
The Gunners scored the only goal of the game on 10 minutes through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who blocked Ben Foster’s attempted clearance.
Just a minute later Watford were reduced to 10 men when captain Troy Deeney was shown a straight red card for an elbow on Lucas Torreira.
Deeney has been shown a straight red for an elbow into the face of Torreira. As Alan Smith says on commentary: “It’s a silly challenge.”
Watford 0-1 Arsenal
Aubameyang scores after Foster blunder (10)
Deeney shown red for elbow (11)
Six Arsenal changes
Ozil, Lacazette on bench
Foster, Janmaat, Kabasele, Masina start
POST-MATCH STATS
Watford suffered their first defeat in six Premier League home games (W3 D2).
Arsenal kept their first away clean sheet in the Premier League this season at the 16th time of asking.
None of the last 12 Premier League meetings between Watford and Arsenal have ended in a draw (10 wins for Arsenal, two for Watford); only two fixtures in the competiton have been played more often without ever sharing the spoils (Manchester United v Wigan (16), Aston Villa v Derby (14).
Since returning to the Premier League in 2015/16, Watford have picked up 15 red cards in the competition, more than any other side.
ARSENAL TEAM
Team to play Watford: Leno, Koscielny, Mavropanos, Mustafi, Monreal, Ramsey, Torreira, Xhaka, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang
Arsenal have not lost back-to-back away league games at Watford since a run of three straight defeats ending in November 1987.
None of the 11 previous Premier League meetings between Watford and Arsenal have ended in a draw (nine wins for Arsenal, two for Watford);
Watford have only won two of their 15 Premier League games when playing on a Monday (D5 L8); a 4-2 win over Portsmouth in April 2007 and a 4-1 victory against Chelsea in February 2018.
Arsenal took a big leap towards securing a top-four berth after a nervy win at FA Cup finalists Watford.
The Gunners scored the only goal of the game on 10 minutes through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who blocked Ben Foster’s attempted clearance.
Just a minute later Watford were reduced to 10 men when captain Troy Deeney was shown a straight red card for an elbow on Lucas Torreira.
Deeney has been shown a straight red for an elbow into the face of Torreira. As Alan Smith says on commentary: “It’s a silly challenge.”
ARSENAL TEAM
Team to play Watford: Leno, Koscielny, Mavropanos, Mustafi, Monreal, Ramsey, Torreira, Xhaka, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang
Subs: Cech, Elneny, Lacazette, Ozil, Maitland-Niles, Guendouzi, Kolasinac
WATFORD TEAM
Team to play Arsenal: Foster, Janmaat, Cathcart, Kabasele, Masina, Doucoure, Capoue, Femenia, Hughes, Gray, Deeney
Subs: Gomes, Britos, Mariappa, Success, Sema, Chalobah, Navarro
PRE-MATCH STATS