After an entertaining afternoon, we have a match report from Nick Ames. That’s my cue to bow out. Thanks for your company and your thoughts on red shorts. If you’re a cricket fan, I’ll see you on Tuesday for England in the West Indies.
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Meanwhile, there’s a match about to take place in Greater Manchester. John Brewin has the team news here.
So both teams maintain their sequences – Watford’s eighth home defeat in a row, Arsenal’s fourth away win. But this was a proper contest, with Watford showing a shedload of spirit and scoring a glorious goal, and Arsenal prevailing because of their superior weaving and several touches of class from Odegaard, Lacazette, and above all Saka.
Full time! Watford 2-3 Arsenal
Arsenal go fourth!
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96 min: There’s some argy-bargy on the Watford right, with a yellow for Hernandez, but it’s Arsenal’s throw and the last chance just refuses to come for Watford.
95 min: The calmest man on the field is Ramsdale, who sees a cross heading his way and waits for it to trickle into the area.
93 min: Arsenal are twitchy. Nketiah goes into the book as he treads on Sissoko. Watford get forward again and Sissoko has a long shot, well struck but straight at Ramsdale.
91 min: We’ve had one of five added minutes. Plenty of time for a fairytale.
90 min: The spring is back in Watford’s step. Foster takes a free kick but hits it straight to his fellow keeper. Roy Hodgson sends on a fellow new boy, Samuel Kalu, and takes off Tom Cleverley. Arteta responds with a defensive move, sending on a centre-back, Rob Holding, for Odegaard, who would be a worthy man of the match if it were not for Saka.
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GOAL! Watford 2-3 Arsenal (Sissoko 87)
A speculative cross reaches Sissoko, who fools White in the six-yard area and pokes home. Game on?
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83 min: Arsenal waste a couple of corners as Saka shows he’s only human after all, but they come again and it’s Pepe’s turn to float in a lovely cross, well cleared. Roy Hodgson reaches for an extra layer of clothing, when what he really needs is more firepower.
80 min: Watford blow another good opening as Dennis is sloppy with a simple pass. Arsenal charge up the other end, where Nketiah beats Foster with a drilled shot that rattles the post.
78 min: Pepe, set up by Saka, jinks in but shoots wide. Lacazette is going off, warmly applauded for his two assists, as Eddie Nketiah comes on.
77 min: Saka has been shunted to the left to make way for Pepe. Not that he’s bothered: he curls in a cross, more of a caress, that Watford do well to head away.
75 min: Lacazette wants a penalty as he gets a nudge in the heel, but Craig Pawson isn’t interested.
73 min: The corner goes nowhere and Arteta takes the opportunity to slow things down with a substitution – Pepe for Martinelli. His heroics seem unlikely to be needed.
72 min: Chance! Femenia drills in a cross from the right, straight to Dennis on the left, but he can’t control his shot. Still, a glimmer, and a corner.
70 min: Arsenal have their first spell of what you might assume from the scorecard had been happening all afternoon: some sustained pressure. They win two corners, but the only shot is a tame chip from Ben White, easily held by his fellow Ben, Foster.
67 min: Odegaard slides Saka in, near the penalty spot, and only a fine tackle from Kamara stops it being 4-1.
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64 min: Roy Hodgson takes off Louza, who did indeed lose the ball ahead of the third goal, and sends on the more attacking Kayembe. The crowd boo, which is sympathetic to Louza, if harsh on his replacement.
62 min: Tierney goes on a Joao Cancelo excursion and feeds Saka, but his touch is aware for once. The ball heads up the other end, as per usual, where Hernandez is in space on the right and tees up Dennis, who gets stuck in traffic.
61 min: Somewhere in there last few minutes, Cedric Soares picked up a yellow card, the first of the day. There may be a few more in Manchester later.
60 min: Someone else had a hand in the third goal: Arteta. When the ball went out on the right, he urged them to take the throw-in quickly. His micromanagement can be maddening but it paid off there.
56 min: We’re back to end-to-end as an Arsenal attack orchestrated by Odegaard peters out and then Kamara has a shot that’s high and wide. Watford are still showing spirit, but they needed a moment of individual inspiration to score, whereas Arsenal have been in a craft class all afternoon, weaving quilts together.
54 min: Watford want a penalty as Odegaard, helping out in defence, puts in a clumsy challenge on Joao Pedro. It’s outside the box and probably not a foul anyway.
GOAL! Watford 1-3 Arsenal (Martinelli 52)
Out of nowhere! Some crisp passes on the right, a lovely flick from Odegaard, a neat lay-off from Lacazette, and a gorgeous curler from Martinelli. Game over.
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50 min: Hernandez wants a free kick as he and White go up for a header just outside the box. There’s not much in it, but Hernandez stays down, then gets up and gives the ref the benefit of his opinion.
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49 min: A heartless caption informs Watford that they have been losing at half-time 11 times this season and have collected a grand total of one point from those games.
47 min: Watford almost embarrass Ramsdale after luring him out to the left. His clearance goes straight to Sissoko, who can’t quite find the space to pull off the 40-yard chip that is calling to him.
On the burning question of the day – Arsenal’s red shorts – Neil Waters is back for more. “I’m well versed in kit history, as my father owned a sports shop in Ireland for 40 years.” The dream! “Arsenal traditionally always wore white shorts & socks. In recent years they’ve started wearing red socks or hooped versions. But never before they worn red shorts. Do they envy Liverpool so much they are trying to copy their look?” That seems to be the consensus.
“On a side note there used to be a rule from within the Arsenal dressing room that whatever length sleeves the captain chose to wear, all players had to follow suit on the day. Pretty sure it ended after Patrick Vieira.”
“I’ve been trying to figure out,” says Norrie Hernon, “how Arsenal will get the 18-22 goals required to make the top four. I currently have Saka and ESR four each, Odegaard and Martinelli two and Lacazette one, leaving 5-9 own goals.
“That’s do-able, right?”
Half-time! Watford 1-2 Arsenal
And that is that for now, with Bukayo Saka ruling the roost. Watford have edged it on desire and tenacity, but Arsenal have won hands-down for class and composure.
“Early doors yet,” says Rick Harris, “so even though Arsenal have nosed in front again, I wouldn’t put it past them to still lose this. To answer Neil Waters I think the red shorts might be Arteta psychology to fool his team into thinking they are Liverpool?”
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45+1 min: Gabriel has an easy ball to pass on to Saka but he somehow skews it out, giving the Watford fans the chance to show some delighted derision.
45 min: After the corner is taken short, Gabriel heads over from a cross. There will be two more minutes.
44 min: All Arsenal have to do until half-time is keep the ball, which is fine by them. The ball slowly makes it way to Martinelli, whose shot is fierce but blocked.
41 min: Alan Smith points out that Cleverley is pushing up ahead of Odegaard, who is getting too much space. Roy may have something to say about that in a few minutes.
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39 min: Watford are still holding their heads up here, stringing some passes together without getting out of the middle third.
“Why are Arsenal wearing red shorts?” wonders Neil Waters. “Surely this is first?” Hoping there’s someone reading this who knows their Arsenal kits better than I do.
37 min: Lacazette is fouled by Louza, not very intelligently, but 35 yards out. The free kick leads to a cross from Martinelli that has too much on it.
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35 min: The replays show what a good touch it was from Lacazette, a deft backheel to Saka. It should really be called a backa.
“Hodgson will know that with Leeds, Burnley and Norwich losing yesterday, Watford have to get three points here to build the momentum needed to avoid the drop,” says Rick Harris. “The point at Old Trafford has perhaps given the Watford players belief that they can mug an Arsenal side who so often flatter to deceive.” You can probably tell that that was written before Saka’s goal.
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33 min: Watford have had twice as many shots on target as Arsenal, but both of Arsenal’s have gone into the net.
GOAL! Watford 1-2 Arsenal (Saka 30)
Another one! Almost against the run of play. Superb from Saka, who picks Cleverley’s pocket, conjures another of his whippy one-twos (with Lacazette this time), and slots it away. What a player he is.
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28 min: Watford break free with Dennis and Louza giving and going down the right. The cross is tame, but they stay upfield and Sissoko tries a long shot that balloons into the crowd.
27 min: Another shot from Partey, another goal kick. Tierney did well to tee him up, showing both grit and guile.
24 min: Again the free kick (by Louza) is on target, but again it’s no trouble for Ramsdale. Watford come again and Dennis shoots, sharply. Ramsdale can only parry it and Pedro almost pounces on the loose ball. Plenty of spark from Watford.
23 min: Watford advance again and Pedro picks up a cheap free kick, 22 yards out in the inside-right channel. Gabriel was a bit clumsy there.
20 min: Cleverley plays a couple of ambitious passes from left-half to the right wing, as if to remind us that he once played for England. Nothing comes of them, but Watford are showing intent.
17 min: It’s still very much end-to-end. Dennis crosses low into the box without finding anyone quite on his wavelength. Then Odegaard has come classy touches in the D, and Partey thumps in a shot – just wide.
15 min: Saka has been the man of the first sixth of the match. He’s spent the last minute giving a pressing masterclass.
14 min: A free kick for Arsenal, but nothing comes of it. They should still win this, but bang goes my theory about them staying fourth till May.
12 min: It was a scissor kick! Beautifully taken from near the penalty spot, giving Ramsdale no chance. Credit to Femenia for a chipped cross and Sissoko who had done well on the right, showing tenacity to the max.
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GOAL! Watford 1-1 Arsenal (Hernandez 11)
Wow!
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9 min: Dennis wins a free kick for Watford, left-hand corner of the box. Hernandez shoots on target but without much venom, and it’s an easy catch for Ramsdale.
8 min: Saka again slices Watford open, setting up Soares for a cross from the TAA zone. He plays a nice curling ball in but Lacazette isn’t alert to it.
7 min: Arsenal are now knocking it around in lordly fashion. They’re fourth, and they could well stay there till May.
6 min: That was all about quick feet and quick brains – Odegaard playing a one-two, possibly three, with Bukayo Saka on the right and then slotting home from 12 yards or so. Too easy, but still very good.
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GOAL! Watford 0-1 Arsenal (Odegaard 5)
Lovely move, neat finish.
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3 min: Arsenal have some elegant possession but Watford, led by Sissoko, are getting stuck in. This may be the story of the next 87 minutes.
2 min: It was a crisp finish from Dennis, very Thierry Henry, and a lovely little through ball from Joao Pedro.
Disallowed goal! For Watford
1 min: Dennis has the ball in the net! But the flag goes up.
The players take the knee and Tom Cleverley takes the first touch.
A minute’s applause for Ukraine.
Watford are in yellow and black, Arsenal in red and white – but with red shorts. And quite a few red leggings too, as it’s bitterly cold.
The players emerge to find the crowd holding up yellow and blue placards, by way of solidarity with Ukraine.
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A tweet! “Looking forward to the first part of a nice symbiotic double-header from ex-midfield foes Arteta and Lampard,” says Gary Naylor. “Arsenal help Everton today and Everton help Arsenal tomorrow.” Ha.
Arsenal must be doing well – they’ve just been praised by Roy Keane. From the start of the season, he says, “it’s been an amazing turnaround.”
In other news
Cristiano Ronaldo is out of the Manchester derby, according to Laurie Whitwell, who covers United for The Athletic. Whisper it, but that might just improve United’s chances.
Teams: still no Smith Rowe
Roy Hodgson makes three changes to a drawing team, bringing in Kiko Femenia, Cucho Hernandez and Joao Pedro. Mikel Arteta sticks with a winning team, as Emile Smith Rowe is still unwell.
Watford Foster; Femenia, Cathcart, Samir, Kamara; Sissoko, Louza, Cleverley; Hernandez, Dennis, Pedro.
Subs: Etebo, Masina, Kucka, Sema, Sierralta, Kayembe, Bachmann, Kabasele, Kalu.
Arsenal Ramsdale; Soares, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Lacazette.
Subs: Leno, Swanson, Holding, Tavares, Lokonga, Elneny, Hutchinson, Pépé, Nketiah.
Referee Craig Pawson.
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Preamble
Afternoon everyone and welcome to the match not a lot of people are talking about. On paper, this is a shoo-in. Watford are without their brightest spark, Ismaila Sarr, and they’ve been hopeless at home lately, losing seven in a row in the league. Arsenal, who can usually be relied on to be poor travellers, have won their last three on the road. Another win here will lift them from sixth to fourth, the spot that has had their name written all over it for weeks. The only thing that could then stop them staying there tonight is if Man United were to pull off a shock in the derby.
That said, there are glimmers of hope for Watford, who are fresh from a triumphant 0-0 at Old Trafford. They came close to something similar at the Emirates in November, with Arsenal winning by a single disputed goal (after they failed to return the ball to Watford, who had sportingly put it out). And that was before Claudio Ranieri was replaced by Roy Hodgson, who has done pretty well at spiking the Gunners’ guns. In his last six league games against Arsenal, all with Palace, he managed a win and four draws, with the only defeat coming in the meaningless month of May. A win today would lift Watford to 18th, level on points with Everton. They can but dream.
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