Betting Tips: Arsenal vs Watford

In strong form despite their fragile backline, Al Hain-Cole expects the Gunners to take maximum points in a high-scoring clash against Gracia's men

Arsenal will be looking to extend their winning streak when they welcome Watford to the Emirates Stadium for Saturday’s Premier League clash.

After starting his reign with two consecutive defeats, Unai Emery has bounced back to oversee six wins in a row in all competitions.

Having run out 3-0 winners when the sides met at this ground last season, they are 21/50 (1.42) favourites with 888Sport to make it seven successive victories in this one.

However, the Hornets came out on top in the two meetings prior to that 3-0 defeat, and are priced at 6/1 (7.00) to pull off another shock win here.

None of the 17 previous encounters between this pair have resulted in draws, but you can get odds of 4/1 (5.00) on them cancelling each other out for the first time since 1984.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Sokratis Papastathopolous will both face late fitness tests as they return from injury, although Sead Kolasinac, Carl Jenkinson, Dinos Mavropanos, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Laurent Koscielny all remain sidelined.

Christian Kabasele is suspended after getting sent off in Wednesday’s EFL Cup defeat to Tottenham, while Gerard Deulofeu and Tom Cleverley are both hoping to return from injury lay-offs.

While six wins from the last six matches suggest definite signs of improvement, Emery is still struggling to solve the defensive issues that plagued the team under his predecessor Arsene Wenger.

The Gunners have kept just one clean sheet in eight fixtures so far this campaign, albeit finding the net in each of the last seven at the other end of the pitch.

Although their strong recent form should be enough to see off a visiting team that has lost 11 and won just won of their previous 14 league away games, it is hard to see Arsenal holding firm at the back.

On target in all eight of their fixtures so far this season, Watford are worth backing at 31/20 (2.55) to at least score a goal on their way to defeat against their in-form hosts.