Arsenal vs Watford. Premier League.
Emirates StadiumAttendance60,035.
Tuesday 31 January 2017 18:32, UK
Arsenal host Watford at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening with manager Arsene Wenger banned from the touchline.
The Gunners boss serves the second game of his four-match ban for pushing the fourth official after being sent off in their last Premier League match against Burnley.
Wenger watched on from the stands as Arsenal thrashed Southampton 5-0 in the FA Cup at St Mary's on Saturday, but will be out of the dugout as his side, currently in second place, look to close the eight-point gap on leaders Chelsea.
Watford start the game in 14th spot, eight points clear of the relegation zone, but have won only one of their last 10 Premier League matches and went out of the FA Cup to League One Millwall on Sunday.
Team news
Arsenal are expected to recall a host of first-team regulars for the game. Wenger made 10 changes for the FA Cup fourth-round win at Southampton but the likes of Petr Cech, Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are set to return against the Hornets.
Danny Welbeck scored twice at St Mary's but is likely to be rested having only just returned from a serious knee injury, while Santi Cazorla (Achilles) is missing and Granit Xhaka is banned.
Walter Mazzarri could hand a Watford debut to on-loan forward M'Baye Niang for the trip to the Emirates.
The AC Milan man missed out on the FA Cup defeat to Millwall but has received international clearance in time to feature at the Emirates, although Mazzarri may be reluctant to throw him straight into the side.
Costel Pantilimon (leg) is out for up to four weeks while Mauro Zarate and Jose Holebas are both suspended and Odion Ighalo could be on his way out of the club.
Opta stats
Arsenal have won their last seven league matches against Watford, netting 19 goals in the process (2.7 per game).
Alexis Sanchez has scored in all three of his previous Premier League appearances against Watford and also has two assists.
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The Gunners have scored a league-high six goals in the 90th minute or later this season and also have the most goals in the 80th minute or later (12).
Arsenal have conceded only four goals in their last seven Premier League home matches; all of which have been penalties.
Arsenal have currently played 149 Premier League games without a single English player in their starting XI - the next most is Wigan Athletic (42). They haven't started an English player in their last four league matches.
Watford's record in their last 12 Premier League games to not be played on a weekend is W0 D2 L10. They haven't won a non-weekend Premier League game since April 2007 (4-2 v Portsmouth).
Merson's prediction
Watford have hit a brick wall and are one of the teams I fear may be relegated. They've got a few points to play with but you always get a team that starts sliding, and they are the team that seem to be doing that at the moment.
Playing away at Millwall on Sunday and then at Arsenal on Tuesday is tough, 48 hours recovery time is ridiculous.
I can't see anything other than an Arsenal win, despite the Gunners flattering to deceive in recent weeks. That being said, they could be two points behind Chelsea if results go their way this week.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (5/1 with Sky Bet)
Betting
Arsenal are Sky Bet's shortest-priced favourites for the night and just 2/9 with Watford up against odds of 11/1, while the draw is priced at 5/1. The Gunners head into the game as 9/1 third favourites to win the Premier League, while Watford are currently 8/1 to face relegation.
Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez share favouritism at the head of the first goalscorer betting at 3/1 apiece, while Troy Deeney is considered the visitors' main threat at 12/1 to net first.
There's also an additional round of Super 6, with £250,000 up for grabs for predicting six correct scores tonight.
