Arsenal head into Saturday's Premier League showdown with Watford having recorded six successive victories in all competitions.
Watford remain in fourth place in the top-flight standings, but the Hornets are without a win since before the international break.
Arsenal
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Arsenal have been far from convincing in many of their opening eight matches of the season, but half-a-dozen wins in all competitions have given Unai Emery something to work with at the Emirates Stadium.
The Spaniard will want to see improvements from a defence which continues to look susceptible when put under pressure, but Emery will be delighted that his first-team squad have already started to develop a winning mentality.
Last week's clash with Everton could have gone a different way with the Toffees squandering numerous chances at the Emirates Stadium, while the Gunners were fortunate to go two goals ahead with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's effort coming from an offside position.
However, Emery will take all of the luck that he can at a time when Arsenal have avoided dropping off the pace after defeats to both Manchester City and Chelsea during the opening two weekends of the campaign.
The North London outfit have now netted at least two goals in each of their last seven matches, and Emery's side will prevail more often than not should they continue to create so many opportunities in the final third.
No player is yet to score more than two goals in the Premier League, but as many as nine members of the squad have gotten on the scoresheet and that will reassure Emery that he does not have to rely on Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.
Danny Welbeck has also put himself back into the equation with a double against Brentford in the EFL Cup, and the England international now has four strikes from two starts and four substitute outings in all competitions.
The fixture list is relatively kind to Arsenal until the end of November and if another positive result can be recorded on Saturday afternoon, they can continue to be an active part in the race for the title and top four this season.
Recent form: LLWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWWWWW
Watford
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Watford have lost some of the momentum which they had put together before the international break, but there is an argument that the Hornets should still be considered as one of the form teams in the country.
A narrow home defeat to Manchester United ended the club's winning start to the campaign, but decisions went against Watford in their Premier League visit to Fulham and the EFL Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah should have been sent off for Fulham during the first half at Craven Cottage, and Christian Kabasele was unfortunate to be dismissed against Spurs when Watford held a 1-0 lead heading into the closing stages.
Both calls have potentially denied Watford two more wins, but the circumstances of the draws will at least reassure Javi Gracia that his team are not doing too much wrong at a time when expectations are increasing at Vicarage Road.
A trip to the Emirates Stadium continues a tough set of fixtures for Watford, but Gracia will be aware that the short trip to North London is the last showdown with a top-six club until November 24.
That could result in Gracia attempting to ease the pressure on his side this weekend, with Watford still sitting in a Champions League spot and - perhaps more importantly - holding an 11-point cushion above the relegation zone.
The latter will remain Watford's main objective for the campaign, although Gracia will be aware that a failure to build on a positive start could lead to him losing his job at the end of the season.
The Watford hierarchy have shown that they are ruthless when it comes to hiring and firing their managers but if Gracia's players continue to impress on the pitch, that should minimise any upheaval off it and that can only help the club's progression.
Recent form: WWWWLD
Recent form (all competitions): WWWLDD
Team News
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Welbeck will likely have to make do with a place among the replacements despite having already scored in three different competitions this season.
Sokratis Papastathopoulous remains a doubt through injury, although it has been suggested that the centre-back is not far away from a return after missing the EFL Cup tie in midweek.
Lucas Torreira is expected to get the nod over Matteo Guendouzi in the centre of the pitch.
Watford have been dealt a blow with the news that Daryl Janmaat is likely to be sidelined until November with a knee injury.
Kabasele will also be suspended for Saturday's fixture providing that Watford are unsuccessful with an appeal over his dismissal against Spurs.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Cech; Bellerin, Mustafi, Sokratis, Monreal; Ramsey, Xhaka, Torreira; Ozil, Aubameyang, Lacazette
Watford possible starting lineup:
Foster; Janmaat, Cathcart, Mariappa, Holebas, Pereyra, Capoue, Doucoure, Hughes; Gray, Deeney
Head To Head
Saturday's meeting represents just the 29th competitive clash between the two clubs, with Arsenal registering 15 wins in comparison to 12 victories for Watford.
The last seven matches since October 2015 have been fiercely contested, with Arsenal winning four times and Watford prevailing on three occasions.
Last season's corresponding fixture ended in March ended in a 3-0 victory for the Gunners.
We say: Arsenal 3-1 Watford
Watford possess the players and the style of play to trouble the Arsenal defence, but the Gunners' attack is starting to fire on all cylinders and we think that Emery's side will have more than enough to register a fifth successive triumph in the Premier League.
Darren Plant
