Arsenal will be hosting Watford for their Premier League fixture on Sunday evening. The Gunners are on a mission to earn a seat in the Champions League qualification spot.
However, their chances of making it into the top-4 were greatly diminished after the 1-2 loss to Brighton And Hove Albion last week. Their shambolic run of 4 losses in all competitions will rule them out as guaranteed winners in this contest.
A 13-point gap has opened up between them and Tottenham Hotspur in the 6th spot of the points table and Arsene Wenger still remains hopeful of making the comeback. The team’s morale has been turned around after the Thursday night win over AC Milan by 2 goals to nil.
To take on an in-form Hornets lineup will be no easy task and Wenger will have to win the tactical battle over Javi Gracia.
The Golden Boys are back in the top half of the points table after their consecutive 1-0 win over Everton and West Brom in the last 2 league fixtures. They are 9 points clear of the bottom-three and are well poised to survive the season in top-flight English football.
They were successful in overthrowing Chelsea by 4 goals to 1, earlier in the year and this will be a concerning factor for the Arsenal faithful. Watford won the last tie against Wenger’s men 2-1 back in September.
Here is how the Gunners might lineup on matchday.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Defence
Petr Cech will lead the defence line from the goalkeeping position. David Ospina is more of a cup keeper even though Cech has been exposed on a few occasions this season.
Hector Bellerin has been ruled out with an injury for this tie and Calum Chambers will have to replace him on the right. The 23-year-old is capable of playing on the right mostly because of his impressive technical abilities as a defender. Sead Kolasinac might just get the nod ahead of Ainsley Maitland-Niles on the left-back role with Nacho Monreal currently tending to his wounds.
Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny are the predicted starters in the centre-back roles.
Midfield
Granit Xhaka and Jack Wilshere are expected to fill up the holding midfield role with Mesut Ozil, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Aaron Ramsey fielded in front of the duo.
Attack
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still the first choice number nine with Alexandre Lacazette currently sidelined with a knee injury. Danny Welbeck might make a substitute appearance.
