Arsene Wenger wary of Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo

Arsene Wenger is hoping to have a full quota of fit centre-backs to choose from against Watford on Sunday afternoon - but the Arsenal boss is wary of strikers Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo.

The Gunners came through their FA Cup fifth round replay at Hull on Tuesday to set up a clash with Premier League rivals Watford, but lost both of their centre-backs in the process. 

A nasty head collision between Per Mertesacker and Nick Powell left the former with a cut to his eye and a slight concussion, while Gabriel Paulista limped off the pitch with a hamstring injury early in the second half of Arsenal's 4-0 win at the KC Stadium.

Despite the injuries, Wenger is hopeful both players will be available for Sunday along with fellow defender Laurent Koscielny, who could also be fit to return from a calf injury.

The French boss has admitted his two centre-backs will play a vital role if Arsenal are to make it through their FA Cup sixth-round tie at the Emirates Stadium. 

Wenger is wary of the threat that Watford's two strikers present - as the visitors will be hoping to end Arsenal's target of becoming the first team to win three successive FA Cup titles since Blackburn Rovers in the mid 1880's.

"They have done extremely well," Wenger said of Watford's first season back in the top-flight. "It looks like the Championship teams that come up now deal very well with the Premier League regime.

"They are very prepared and very efficient. They have two strikers who are very efficient with Ighalo and Deeney and we worked very hard to control the game (last time we played them).

"They give us a tough time. When we played against Watford in the Premier League, Deeney had not scored I think for a long time. After us he started to score but during the game I was impressed by him. He's a good player.

"They have a very good understanding between the strikers and the quality between our two centre backs will be vital on Sunday."

Wenger is confident that despite a recent barren spell in front of goal from his strikers, his side are reinvigorated after two goals apiece from Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott in the win against Hull - while not ruling out success across all three competitions this season.

"I haven't given up on the Premier League at all and I've said that many times, nor the Champions League," he added.

"We have to take care of the next minute and the next minute is an FA Cup game. Is it the best chance to win a trophy? It's still far away. We must win the next game and prove that we can show consistency again.

"I feel we can have a run but we know how quickly it can change - we lost two games and suddenly looked like we would be in the Championship next year so it is game by game and all we know is we can not afford any more slips ups like we did against Swansea (a 2-1 home defeat)."