Watford v Arsenal predictions: Goalscoring a major problem for beleaguered Horns

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for the Watford v Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 2pm Sunday

Best bet

Arsenal to win & under 3.5 goals
1pt 6-5 BoyleSports

Team news

Watford
Right-back Kiko Femenia is fit to return but Nicolas Nkoulou, Ismaila Sarr and William Troost-Ekong are sidelined.

Arsenal
Takehiro Tomiyasu is a doubt but Emile Smith Rowe is set to return after illness.

Match preview

Roy Hodgson is achieving his first target of making Watford harder to beat but he's fast running out of time to achieve his second, namely keeping the Hornets up.

If Watford are going to stay in the Premier League for a second season then they need to start scoring goals, something they failed to do under Claudio Ranieri and now also under Hodgson.

And if you can't score goals it makes you a pretty unattractive betting proposition, which is definitely the case leading up to the visit of Champions League-chasing Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta's Gunners are in rock-solid form with three straight wins and seven triumphs in their last nine in the Premier League, and they can clock up another three points at Vicarage Road.

Take the visitors to prevail in a low-scoring affair. Both of these sides' games average a shade under 2.8 goals a time, so Arsenal and under 3.5 looks a way in for anyone who fancies Arteta's boys but isn't bowled over by match odds of 6-10.

The Gunners have had ten days off and are well rested since coming from behind to deservedly beat a decent Wolves side 2-1. Their only league defeat in their last nine was narrowly – and unluckily – at home to Manchester City and key players such as Thomas Partey and Ben White are dominating games.

Watford go into the game upbeat after holding Manchester United to a goalless draw at Old Trafford last Saturday, although they've barely received any credit for a stubborn effort which typified what Hodgson has brought to the club.

It has to be said they got lucky – United fired off 22 shots in a pretty dominant performance but put only three of those on target. However, the point and the bravery shown, just three days after they collapsed 4-1 at home to Crystal Palace, would have lifted spirits even it failed to lift them out of the bottom three.

Watford's record in front of their own fans is atrocious. No side have conceded more goals at home than the Horns – 31 in total – and no side has lost more games (ten). They've lost their last seven in the league at Vicarage Road.

When these clubs met at the Emirates in November Arsenal won a scruffy encounter 1-0, and it would be no surprise if the outcome was similar in the return fixture.

Key stat

Watford conceded two goals per game pre-Hodgson but 1.2 goals since the ex-England boss's arrival.

Inside info

Watford

Penalty taker Joshua King
Free-kick wizard Emmanuel Dennis
Set-piece aerial threat Emmanuel Dennis
Card magnet Samir

Arsenal

Penalty taker Alexandre Lacazette
Free-kick wizardNicolas Pepe
Set-piece aerial threatGranit Xhaka
Card magnetGabriel

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