Watford prepares to welcome Arsenal at Vicarage Road in the Premier League on Sunday, hoping to grab points off a top-six club for the second week in a row.
Last time out, the Hornets held Manchester United to a goalless draw, while Mikel Arteta’s side sunk Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 late in the game.
Team News
Watford
· Following the Old Trafford stalemate, Watford were dealt an injury scare with winger Ismaila Sarr, who is expected to miss this London derby due to a hamstring issue.
· Kiko Femenia missed the game against Manchester United due to an injury. However, he is expected to return for this one, while Peter Etebo and Nicolas Nkoulou continue to recuperate.
· After an outstanding outing at the Theater of Dreams, Ken Sema or Joao Pedro will compete for Sarr’s spot in the attack. But Hodgson should see no cause to make any changes.
Arsenal
Meanwhile , Arsenal’s top scorer Smith Rowe missed the Wolves triumph due to sickness. But the England international has been spotted in training and is expected to play on Sunday.
· Takehiro Tomiyasu and his troubled calves should be Arteta’s sole injury issue, but Cedric Soares has stepped up to the plate in recent weeks.
· After making an impact off the bench against Wolves, Arteta may consider Pepe and Eddie Nketiah for starts. But it’s hard to see Lacazette or Gabriel Martinelli giving up their spots, though the latter might be replaced by Smith Rowe.
Prediction Analysis
A strong Arsenal defense could expose Watford’s lack of a clinical finisher on Sunday, though Hodgson’s team will be aware that the Gunners are still prone to errors.
The Hornets, on the other hand, have recently suffered setback after defeat at home, and they are playing an Arsenal squad that is practically at the top of their powers, so we can only see the visitors edging closer to the Champions League with all three. points.
Our prediction is Watford 0-2 Arsenal
Possible Lineup
Watford; Foster; Ngakia, Cathcart, Samir, Kamara; Cleverley, Sissoko, Louza; Pedro, Dennis, King;
Arsenal; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe; Lacazette; Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tierney;