March 06, (THEWILL) – On Sunday afternoon in the English Premier League, Arsenal held on to register another victory in their impressive march up the log as they defeated Watford 3-2 at home.
Within 17 seconds, Emmanuel Dennis had the ball in Aaron Ramsdale’s net, but it was Arsenal who took the lead as that goal was chalked off correctly for offside.
The Gunners’ star combo of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard dovetailed to devastating effect down the right flank in the fifth minute. Saka bounced the ball off Odegaard and dashed to the byline, where he set up the Norwegian for a far-corner finish.
Cucho Hernandez offered a spectacular demonstration of individualism six minutes later that was a sharp contrast of the mastery of collaboration that was Arsenal’s opener.
Cucho threw himself into the air, striking the ball wonderfully with an overhead kick that rocketed into the corner to draw the hosts level and make for an enlivening contest. The match had been opened by a quick exchange of clinical strikes.
It became more intense as bodies from both sides flocked to the spaces that each porous backline provided. In the midst of the chaos, Tom Cleverley’s lapse in concentration was costly.
Saka dispossessed the former Manchester United player before handing the ball on to Alexandre Lacazette only to put Arsenal back in front half an hour later Watford drew level after Lacazette returned the favour.
Arsenal enjoyed periods of sustained possession, but when the tempo was increased, they tore Watford apart.
Mikel Arteta even took the initiative to ensure that the speed of a second-half play was not squandered. The manager’s rapid throw to Saka to get the back back into play was the first of a flurry of five one-touch shuffles of the ball to Gabriel Martinelli, who rattled in a superb third.
Despite their superiority, Arsenal never completely shut the door on the hosts in an end-to-end match. With his 87th-minute strike, former Tottenham player Moussa Sissoko caused a tense finish, but the Gunners hung on.
Despite that late scare, the Gunners moved into the top four after peppering the game with superb team play in a riveting encounter that Watford’s adventure added to in the final moments.
Arsenal are in front of United, ahead of the Manchester derby, which is underway. The Gunners have already won four consecutive games and will face Leicester City next. Watford is still in 19th place, three points adrift of the relegation zone. They have a trip to Wolves on the horizon.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
