With the first international break of the season coming to an end, the Premier League returns. Arsenal, who are fifth in the Premier League, head to Vicarage Road to face Watford FC.
The Gunners will hope to secure a victory away, that will likely see them climb the table to at least fourth place as fourth-place Crystal Palace faces Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.
Arsenal’s last match was a 2-2 draw against Tottenham, where Unai Emery’s side bounced back from going 2-0 down to secure a point at home. The game displayed the Gunners defensive errors, as well as the quality of the team going forward.
The match will be the first at the helm for newly appointed Quique Sanchez Flores. Ex-manager Javi Gracia was fired following a disastrous start, with just one point in four games. Flores returns to Watford, having managed them for a single season in the 2015/16 campaign before leaving to manage Espanyol in Spain.
Predicted Lineup:
Formation: 4-3-3
Emery has favored the 4-3-3 as of late, and will likely play a similar lineup that he put out in the North London Derby.
Bernd Leno will start in goal, hoping to forget his error against Tottenham that handed the Spurs an early lead. The back-line will remain the same, and there may be an appearance from Rob Holding as he recently returned to full training and is available for selection.
Matteo Guendouzi’s assist in the NLD will be on highlights for years and will earn him a starting spot against Watford. With Granit Xhaka likely to miss some of October, as he is expecting a child and recently stated he would be taking time off, it is likely that Emery will utilize him as much as he can before his absence.
Dani Ceballos was a game-changer against Tottenham, as the creative midfielder brought a much needed attacking and ball-playing presence to the Arsenal midfield.
The front three of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, and Nicolas Pepe is Arsenal’s most deadly lineup, and with the importance of the match, they will likely lineup together on Sunday.
Score Prediction: 3-0 Arsenal
Watford has yet to win a game this season, and that streak will continue as Arsenal’s attack make a statement on Sunday. Lacazette will add a brace to his tally, and Aubameyang will score as well as Arsenal rout Watford 3-0.
