Arsenal v Watford: Gunners to extend run over Hornets
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The last time Watford beat Arsenal in a competitive match Pet Shop Boys topped the charts with Heart and after losing the last five meetings the Hornets will need plenty of that to arrest that run.
In those five meetings since April 14 1988 Arsenal have won to nil on three occasions and with the Vicarage Road outfit winning just one of their last seven away from home in the FA Cup a repeat could be on the cards at the Emirates.
The Gunners go into the tie as 4/7 favourites, with Watford priced at 5/1 and the draw on at 3/1, but with the Arsenal’s history of keeping clean sheets against the Hornets in mind the 13/8 on the hosts winning to nil could be the way to go.
One man hoping to star in the game after firing a double against Hull is Theo Walcott. With the European Championships on the horizon and chances to impress England manager Roy Hodgson rapidly decreasing it could pay to back the Three Lions hopeful to build on that brace here.
Walcott looks good value at 9/2 in the first player to score market, while those with deeper pockets will be tempted by the 6/4 on the forward netting at any time during the match.
Two or more goals for Theo can be backed at 7/1, while odds of 40/1 can be had for fit-again winger to smash a hat-trick past the Hornets.
However, Watford have shown this season that they certainly have plenty of the requisite heart mentioned above and while Walcott has recently found his shooting boots the Hornets’ Odion Ighalo hasn’t taken his off all season.
The 26-year-old has hit 15 goals in 32 games for Watford this season but comes into the match in the midst of a lean spell.
The Nigerian has gone seven games without a goal, meaning better-than-usual odds can be had when backing him to get on the sheet.
An anytime goal can be backed at 11/4 but having opened the scoring on seven occasions for Watford this term the 8/1 on him repeating the trick at the Emirates looks huge.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
