Sporting Life
Roberto Pereyra: Watford ace celebrates his equaliser v Arsenal - scroll down for highlights
Roberto Pereyra: Watford ace celebrates his equaliser v Arsenal - scroll down for highlights

Watford 2-2 Arsenal report, stats and Premier League highlights: Quique Sanchez Flores' side come from behind to secure Vicarage Road draw

By Sporting Life
19:00 · SUN September 15, 2019

Quique Sanchez Flores saw his Watford side come from two goals down to earn a draw against Arsenal on his Vicarage Road homecoming.

The Spaniard was reappointed last week following the sacking of compatriot Javi Gracia and guided the Hornets to just their second point of the season as they pegged back Arsenal to draw 2-2, the same result he had here in the final game of his first spell in charge, 1218 days ago.

A first-half brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looked to have the Gunners on course for the win but defensive errors once again cost Unai Emery's side.

Firstly, Sokratis Papastathopoulos saw a pass intercepted to allow Tom Cleverley to strike before David Luiz clumsily conceded a penalty which substitute Roberto Pereyra coolly converted.

Having been coasting at the interval, Arsenal saw two points slip away and since the start of last season they have made 15 errors leading to goals for the opposition - more than any other top-flight side in that time.

Abdoulaye Doucoure almost won it at the death, running at the Arsenal defence before latching onto Sarr's cross only to shoot straight at Leno.

For Flores - who left Hertfordshire at the end of the 2015/16 season after guiding Watford to a 13th-placed finish and an FA Cup semi-final - there was plenty to take from the first game of his second stint at the helm.

Highlights

Watford 2-2 Arsenal - Premier League highlights

Opta facts

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: Arsenal forward scores against Watford in the Premier League
  • This was the first time in 22 meetings across all competitions that Watford and Arsenal have drawn a match against one another, having last done so in December 1984 (1-1).
  • New Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores has only lost one of his eight managerial meetings with Arsenal’s Unai Emery in all competitions (W3 D4 L1).
  • This was the first time that Arsenal failed to win a Premier League match in which they were at least two goals ahead since April 2016 when they drew 3-3 with West Ham, and the first time Watford avoided defeat in the league after being at least two goals behind since January 2018 v Southampton (2-2).
  • Since his Premier League debut in February 2018, Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been directly involved in 46 goals in the competition (37 goals, 9 assists); only Mo Salah (53) has had a hand in more in this time.
  • Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been directly involved in five goals in his four Premier League appearances against Watford, scoring four times and assisting once.
  • Tom Cleverley scored his first home league goal for Watford since October 2017, which also came against Arsenal, 701 days ago.
  • Since the start of last season, Arsenal's players have made a combined 14 errors leading to opposition goals in the Premier League, at least two more than any other club in this time.
  • Since the start of last season, no side has conceded more goals via penalties in the Premier League than Arsenal (10 - level with Brighton), with the Gunners already conceding three this season alone.
  • Watford attempted 31 shots in this match, the highest tally Arsenal have faced in a Premier League fixture since Opta began collecting such data in the division in 2003-04.

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