⚕️ Team news
Arsenal
- The Gunners will be without long-term absentees Bernd Leno, Calum Chambers, Pablo Mari and Gabriel Martinelli.
- Shkodran Mustafi will miss the game through injury. Reiss Nelson has returned to training.
- Matteo Guendouzi and Mesut Ozil are 'available' but Mikel Arteta remained cagey when asked about their potential involvement.
Watford
- Daryl Janmaat, Gerard Deulofeu and Isaac Success are injured and won't be available.
- Etienne Capoue faces a fitness test before the kick-off.
🧮 Stats you need to know (via Opta, BBC)
- In their last 6 PL home games against the Hornets, the Gunners have emerged victorious on 5 occasions.
- Arsenal are on a 8-game unbeaten home run, scoring 18 and conceding 5 goals in these clashes.
- In the previous 70 PL games at the Emirates, the Gunners have scored against all opponents but Manchester City.
- The Gunners have not lost their final league game at home since 1993.
- The Hornets have won a final PL game once, in 2000.
- Watford have not tasted victory in seven away PL games in a row.
- Their only away wins this season have against Norwich and Bournemouth, the only sides below the Hornets in the table.
⚽ Possible Arsenal line-up
- Arteta said he will field "as strong a team" as he can.
- Hence, if Mikel's words are to be believed, he is not going to put all fringe players on the pitch just to give them game time.
- However, the boss is known for his tactical tinkering and constant rotation so we expect him to come with a couple of surprises.
- Cedric Soares is very likely to feature given he will not be available for the Cup final.
- We expect Arteta to rest Aubameyang, Lacazette and Saka ahead of the Chelsea clash, too.
- Martinez; Soares, Sokratis, David Luiz, Holding, Tierney; Ceballos, Xhaka; Pepe, Nketiah, Nelson
🐝 Opposition players to watch
Troy Deeney
The Watford captain gained notoriety among the Gunners faithful by saying back in 2017 that Arsenal lack 'cojones'.
What we can't take away from Deeney is that he is a good leader for his team, and the forward will be extra motivated to score on Sunday – if not to sting Arsenal, then to keep Watford in the Premier League.
Craig Dawson
A no-nonsense centre-back, Dawson is good in the air and could be a big threat to the Gunners.
46 per cent of Arsenal's conceded goals come from set-pieces and the 30-year-old is the player who has to be carefully marked.
🔮 Predictions
Mark Lawrenson, BBC: Arsenal 2-0 Watford
"I would not fancy Watford's chances of beating the drop from here. I'm sure a few of the Arsenal players remember Watford captain Troy Deeney saying the Gunners lacked 'cojones' after they lost to the Hornets in 2017.
"They will want to beat Deeney on Sunday, just to shut him up - although he had a point at the time.
"I just think Watford are shot now, after Nigel Pearson's departure last week. This is a huge game for them, but they go into it at rock bottom."
Charlie Nicholas, Sky Sports: Arsenal 3-1 Watford
"Arsenal looked pretty empty on gas against Aston Villa, but there's some serious risks Watford are taking in sacking Nigel Pearson and throwing Hayden Mullins in at the deep end. Apart from the goalkeeper, Ben Foster, there's not really anyone in form.
"For Arsenal, the league emphasis has gone, it's about being competitive for the FA Cup final. I think Mikel Arteta will make a couple of changes, but they'll want to finish the season well.
"He's doing a good job, he's taken over a mess and is making it better. I think they'll have a response from Tuesday night - Arteta will be telling the players some of them are playing for their futures, others for a place in the FA Cup final line-up."
📜 Table situation
Arsenal: Are not at risk of losing their 10th place as Everton are four points adrift. Will climb up to the 8th in case of victory and if neither Sheffield nor Burnley get three points. Won't qualify for Europe via PL.
Watford: In order to stay up, need to get more points than Aston Villa, who face West Ham. If both sides lose, need to better Villa's goal difference by two to ensure survival.
📣 Manager's quotes
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal (via Arsenal.com):
"I think it is our responsibility [to field a strong team]. A strong side doesn't mean that players that have played less will not participate.
"For me, it's more about how we approach the game and how we go into that game to win the game. That is not 50/0, there is no lack of intensity, anything like that. We cannot do that."
Hayden Mullins, Watford (via WatfordFc.com):
“We need to be a threat to their goal, definitely, but I don’t think we can be all-out attack, gung-ho.
"We’re expecting a tough game, and I don’t think we’d expect any different in the Premier League. We’re expecting a tough game, from a good side, who play some good football."
What do you expect from Arsenal on Sunday? Tell us in the comments or share your thoughts, feelings and predictions through blogs!
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