Another weekend and another moment where we will see a top 4 shuffle. Arsenal right now are favourites for the fourth spot and if they win all their games in hand, they will be just 2 points behind Chelsea in 3rd place. But this is the Premier League and there is just no certainty in this league! After causing trouble to Manchester United, can Watford steal points against Arsenal as well?
WHERE AND WHEN?
Venue: Vicarage Road.
Date: Sunday, 6th March 2022.
Time: 15:00 (BST).
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Craig Pawson.
Assistant referee: Lee Betts, Richard West.
Fourth official: Simon Hooper.
VAR: Darren England.
Assistant VAR: Eddie Smart.
TEAM NEWS
Despite a great performance against United, Roy Hodgson would not have cheered last weekend as Sarr took a knock and now will be out of this clash. He will now join Etebo and Nkoulou in the injury list and thus ruled out from the fixture.
Mikel Arteta will also be in trouble due to team selection but luckily not because of injuries but because of the problem of too many. The substitutes last weekend had a great impact on the result and did stake a claim for the starting spot but will that lead to a change in the starting XI? Only Tomiyasu will be the one missing due to the injury.
MATCH ANALYSIS
Watford under Roy Hodgson has pulled out some great results, the best being a goal-less draw against United the last weekend. This result was cheered up much more by the Arsenal fans who were given a chance to claim a top 4 spot but can the Hornets do the same against their visitors this weekend? Hodgson has clearly helped Watford to have a defensive revamp and helped them not leak goals as they were doing before him. But looking on the other side, they have not been able to score enough and thus the team still finds them in 19th place in the table. They currently are just 3 points away from 17th place, though playing more games, and have a chance to move a slight bit above in the table.
Mikel Arteta and his boys just will have a February to remember as they have claimed all points possible and now are the front runners for the Champions League spot. They will hope to continue the run in March with this weekend being a perfect opportunity as West Ham faces Liverpool and Manchester United will be against Manchester City. Their comeback win against Wolves last weekend has to be nothing less than amazing as Wolves are rarely lost after going 1 goal up but Lacazette stepped up for Arsenal at the perfect time to claim all three points.
PREDICTED XI
Watford predicted XI: Foster; Ngakia, Cathcart, Samir, Kamara; Cleverley, Sissoko, Louza; Pedro, Dennis, King.
Arsenal predicted XI: Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe; Lacazette.
