After 100 games in charge, Mikel Arteta has Arsenal breathing down the necks of those he is entrusted with catching. They have taken 20 points from their last eight games and, after this scratchy win over a rudimentary Watford, sit on the shoulders of the top four; this was not necessarily an afternoon’s work that screamed of Champions League quality but it did suggest that, faced with awkward and disruptive opponents, they now possess the initiative and resolve to pull through.
That is highly encouraging for Arteta and so is the form of Emile Smith Rowe, whose third goal in as many top-flight matches meant the manager could bask in his milestone if he so chose. The decision to delay Smith Rowe’s call-up to the full England squad seems, at best, conservative; a similar commentary might be applied to Ben White given his influence in creating the chance. Their contributions meant a missed penalty by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, well saved by Ben Foster, was of little consequence and furthered the impression of a turning tide in these parts.
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