Arsenal saw off Watford to secure their first Premier League win in four games and continue their recovery from a disastrous run of results.
Despite returning to winning ways at AC Milan on Thursday night, Arsene Wenger’s side were without a Premier League victory since February 3 as they welcomed the Hornets to the Emirates Stadium with pressure mounting on the Frenchman.
But goals from Shkodran Mustafi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan were enough to secure a fairly comfortable 3-0 win over Watford, who had a second-half Troy Deeney penalty saved by Petr Cech.
Tweet of the match
Must be -4 and snowing again at the Emirates .
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) March 11, 2018
Gary Neville pokes fun at more swathes of empty seats at the Emirates Stadium. Gunners boss Wenger had suggested a poor attendance against Manchester City last time out was due to the cold weather.
Star man – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Moment of the match
? @Aubameyang7 goal + @PetrCech penalty save = 3 amazing minutes for @Arsenal! #ARSWAT pic.twitter.com/6s0RoVAl8g
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 11, 2018
Cech’s penalty save from pantomime villain Deeney, his first spot-kick stop in the Premier League since February 2011. It came just moments after Arsenal went 2-0 up and ensured his first clean sheet in 12 games and his 200th overall in the Premier League.
Data point
A perfect start – @MustafiOfficial heads @MesutOzil1088‘s free-kick into the far corner to give us the lead#AFCvWFC 1-0 (8) pic.twitter.com/TdJya9R8xs
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) March 11, 2018
When Mustafi headed home Mesut Ozil’s inviting free-kick he scored the Gunners’ 1000th home goal in the Premier League era. Manchester United are the only other team to pass this mark.
Player ratings
Cech, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Elneny, Iwobi, Aubameyang all in for #AFC
— Mark Mann-Bryans (@MarkyMBryans) March 11, 2018
Arsenal: Petr Cech 8 (out of 10), Ainsley Maitland-Niles 6, Shkodran Mustafi 7, Rob Holding 7, Sead Kolasinac 6, Mohamed Elneny, 7 Granit Xhaka 7, Henrikh Mkhitaryan 7, Mesut Ozil 7, Alex Iwobi 7, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 7. Substitutes: Danny Welbeck (for Iwobi 67 ) 6, Calum Chambers (for Mustafi 73) 6, Jack Wilshere (for Mkhitaryan 78) 6.
Watford: Orestis Karnezis 6, Daryl Janmaat 6, Sebastian Prodl 6, Adrian Mariappa 6, Jose Holebas 6, Abdoulaye Doucoure 7, Etienne Capoue 6, Kiko Femenia 6, Roberto Pereyra 5, Richarlison 6, Troy Deeney 5. Substitutes: Will Hughes (for Feminia 62) 6, Stefano Okaka (for Pereyra 67) 5, Miguel Britos (for Janmaat 80) 5.
Who’s up next?
Arsenal v AC Milan (Europa League, Thursday March 15)
Liverpool v Watford (Premier League, Saturday March 17)
