Premier League: Can Gunners bring down the Hornets?

Watford vs Arsenal

It’s about time Arsenal found a way to win away from home. But the Gunners have a very difficult task to overcome if they are to discover that way this weekend.

Monday night’s Premier League fixture brings together Watford and Arsenal in a match both teams need to win, but the hosts’ form at home is as good as the visitors’ away form is poor, so the Vicarage Road crowd has good reason to be optimistic.

Javi Gracia’s side has made plenty of Premier League 2019 news this season with its attractive attacking style and constant threat to teams the length of the league. And a dramatic comeback win against Wolves has taken the happy Hornets to an FA Cup Final against Manchester City. Meanwhile the Gunners have been very impressive at the Emirates but their failings on the road leave them as outsiders for a top four spot.

So I wouldn’t guarantee their chances of them bringing the Hornets crashing back down to earth on Monday!

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Talking Points

The race for ‘Best of the Rest’

This has been Watford’s best year since its return to the top flight in 2015. Previous campaigns have started brightly but then tailed off, with relegation an emerging prospect in the latter stages of each season, but this time it’s different and Watford is in good shape to challenge for seventh place with a possibility of European football at Vicarage Road.

It’s a four way battle with Leicester City, Everton and Wolves all within a point of each other, but the Hornets and Wolves have a game in hand on their rivals.

‘Mr Watford’ Troy Deeney has been at his combative best this season and is top scoring with nine goals; and the addition of Gerard Deulofeu has been a masterstroke. With seven goals and four assists he’s doing exactly the job Gracia paid Barcelona £12m for, and at that price he looks a real snip.

Watford has won four of the last six games, losing one against Manchester City and the Hornets were unlucky to lose 2-1 to Manchester United recently.

Arsenal’s away day problems

The Gunners looked sadly lacklustre in a 1-0 defeat to Everton last week and that meant they still haven’t kept a clean sheet away from home all season, a remarkable statistic for a side chasing a Champions League place.

Arsenal’s poor away form will be a telling factor in any Watford vs Arsenal betting tips as well as in the Gunners prospects of finishing in the top four.

With two away wins from the last 11, in all competitions, they have drifted rather more than Unai Emery hoped after an impressive start to his reign at the Emirates.

Following this they match the Gunners still have Wolves, Leicester City and Burnley to play away from home and none of those games will be easy.

Juventus-bound Aaron Ramsey eyes to put Arsenal in good position in the Premier League — Aaron Ramsey celebrates after scoring an opener in Europa League

Emery had great success in the Europa league with Sevilla, winning the tournament three consecutive times, and he may well be targeting that competition as a second way of reaching the Champions League. Arsenal beat Napoli 2-0 in a quarter final first leg on Thursday to take charge of that tie and has a great chance of silverware in Europe.

Aaron Ramsay was on target against Napoli and he’ll be a big player in the Gunners’ run-in with his box to box play and eye for goal.

History

In the 12 matches played between Watford and Arsenal since 1999 there have been no draws, with Arsenal winning nine and Watford three.

The referee could have a busy afternoon. Jose Holebas has picked up 11 yellow cards for Watford this season, just one more than Arsenal centre back Sokratis Papastathopoulos, who was brought in to add some steel to the Gunners’ back line.

Watford has won its last four home matches, more cause for concern for Arsenal.

Betting Tip

	Watford vs Arsenal	Draw 1X2 @ 3.40
	April 16, 03:00 (GMT+8)

This isn’t the easiest of SBOBET tips to make as, while Watford is so strong at home and Arsenal so flaky on the road, the Gunners are still favourites to win the game at odds of 2.21 and the hosts are available at 3.10. In Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Arsenal has a 17 goal striker in great form, but will he get enough supply to add to that on the road?

And the Hornets have a nasty sting for any defence, let alone one which can’t keep a clean sheet!

1-1 is the most likely result at odds of 6.80, and I suspect this could well be the first draw between Watford and Arsenal this century.