Arsenal are in freefall right now, losing their last four matches overall as they head to AC Milan for the first leg of their round-of-16 Europa League tie. Following that, Arsenal will be back at home in the English Premier League to take on Watford, who have won three of their last four matches.
What To Know About Watford
Watford are ninth in the table after a 1-0 win at home over West Brom as Troy Deeney scored the match-winner in the 77th minute. Watford are now on 36 points and are still closer to the bottom of the table than the top, but if they can finish in the top half this season, that would be a huge accomplishment. They still allow far too many goals, giving up 47 this season, which is fifth-worst in the league. Still, Watford are getting results where they can, which is usually at home, where they have won their last three games. However, on the road it is a different story as Watford has a draw and three losses in their last four away games. They’re also battling a slew of injuries right now as Christian Kabasele (hamstring) and Tom Cleverly (hamstring) are out for the foreseeable futures, along with a few others.
What To Know About Arsenal
Arsenal are sixth in the table with 45 points after a 2-1 loss at Brighton Hove and Albion as they allowed two goals in the first 26 minutes of the game. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored before halftime to give Arsenal a chance, but they couldn’t find a way to even get a point. The calls for Arsene Wenger to step down after 22 years at Arsenal are getting louder and louder with each loss as he can’t seem to inspire any big performances from his players. There is no way Arsenal should be losing to Brighton Hove and Albion, regardless if it was on the road. The back-to-back 3-0 losses to Manchester City in the Premier League and in the EFL Cup final looks like it sapped all confidence out of Arsenal and it might be on Wenger that he couldn’t inspire them for this game. The players also have to take a lot of the blame, but ultimately, it might come down on the manager.
Outlook
Arsenal are favored at home at -200 over Watford, who come in at +500 and a draw is listed at +350. The two have met in the league 21 times, with each claiming ten wins and a draw. Watford won 2-1 at home back in October as Per Mertesacker scored first for Arsenal, but Deeney equalized in the 71st minute and Clevelery added the winner in injury time. A lot for this game will have to do with Arsenal’s Europa League match at AC Milan on Wednesday. The players will be tired from playing and travelling, and the home crowd might not be entirely on their side, especially if things go south early. This is a massive match for Arsenal and they need a good result on Sunday.
EPL Betting Pick: Arsenal
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