Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is an early doubt for the Premier League trip to Merseyside to face Liverpool next week after he sustained a groin injury in training last week.
Partey was missing in the Arsenal midfield when the squad for the Premier League duel with Watford was revealed on Sunday. Arsenal thereafter confirmed that the Ghanaian midfielder missed the league clash with the Hornets due to a tight groin.
Arsenal fans would be hoping to have Partey back for the potentially tough game against Liverpool. The Reds are favourites for the three points via the various soccer betting odds on soccer betting sites.
For the Watford game, the Gunners were massive favourites according to soccer betting sites and they were able to live up to their status as favourites with the slim victory thanks to the second half strike from the in-form Arsenal midfielder, Emile Smith-Rowe.
Arsenal could have recorded a big win at home to Watford if their strikers were more ruthless to completely live up to their favourites tag. Skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the major culprit after his bad touch led to Bukayo Saka being flagged for offside after the England international scored inside seven minutes.
Aubameyang then went on to miss a first half penalty as he was denied by the impressive Watford shot stopper Ben Foster. The Gabonese international had the chance to give the Gunners the lead from the spot after fellow attacker Alexander Lacazette was brought down by Danny Rose. The half-time gave Watford the opportunity to catch their breadth as they were under scrutiny for the majority of the first half. The game could have been different at the interval if the Gunners converted the first half chances that came their way.
In the second half, Aubameyang scored from an offside position when he could have left the shot taken by teammate Martin Odegaard. The shot from Odegaardwas on its way to the back of the net before the intervention from the Arsenal skipper. In the end, The goal from Smith-Rowe eleven minutes into the second half was enough to hand the Gunners an impotent win and also increase their unbeaten run to eight games. Arsenal are up to fifth ahead of the Liverpool game next week Saturday.