Team News: Emile Smith Rowe misses out for Arsenal against Watford with COVID-19

Emile Smith Rowe is absent from the Arsenal squad for Sunday's Premier League clash with Watford.

The Gunners' top scorer missed last week's 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers due to illness but was pictured back in training with his teammates earlier this week.

However, Smith Rowe is nowhere to be seen at Vicarage Road after testing positive for COVID-19, with Mikel Arteta electing to name an unchanged lineup from the late success over Bruno Lage's side.

Cedric Soares keeps his place at right-back in an unchanged rearguard, with Takehiro Tomiyasu's latest calf problem rendering him unavailable.

Tomiyasu's absence also means another place on the bench for Under-23s defender Zak Swanson, while Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey continue in the engine room.

Gabriel Martinelli continues on the left-hand side with Smith Rowe absent, while Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Alexandre Lacazette complete an unchanged XI.

Arsenal starting lineup: Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Lacazette

Substitutes: Leno, Holding, Tavares, Swanson, Elneny, Sambi Lokonga, Pepe, Hutchinson, Nketiah