Watford vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction
Latest updates and action from the Premier League clash at Vicarage Road
Arsenal climbed back into the Premier League top four as goals from Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli helped them to a lively 3-2 win over Watford at Vicarage Road.
It was a victory more convincing for the Gunners than the scoreline suggests, as their young attacking players shone to punish a Hornets side that, to their credit, fought gamely until the end.
Emmanuel Dennis had the ball in the net after just 17 seconds but it was ruled out for offside, although a stunning finish from Cucho Hernandez cancelled out Odegaard’s opener and Moussa Sissoko set up a grandstand finish when he reduced the deficit to 3-2 with only a few minutes remaining.
But a draw would have more than the Hornets deserved and their battle against relegation from the Premier League is looking like an increasingly uphill battle.
For their part, the Gunners have their top-four destiny in their own hands and three sublime finishes from Odegaard, Saka and Martinelli – all of whom should have big futures at the Emirates – demonstrated the quality Mikel Arteta can call on as the season reaches the business end.
Relive the Premier League action of Arsenal versus Watford below:
Kevin De Bruyne leadership, Jadon Sancho’s magic and five things we learned as Man City thrash Man United
Manchester City defeated rivals Manchester United 4-1 in the derby on Sunday afternoon.
Captain Kevin de Bruyne scored the opener with a great strike but it was cancelled out by a goal from Jadon Sancho.
De Bruyne regained City’s lead to put the hosts 2-1 ahead at the break. City came out firing in the second half with a lot of pressure on United ending in a screamer from Riyad Mahrez.
He converted from a corner to put the visitors out of sight and got his second in the dying moments of the match in what turned out to be a shocking performance from United.
But what were the talking points and things we learned from the derby? Here are the top five.
Five things we learned as Man City thrash Man United in derby
Manchester City 4-1 Manchester United: Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez scored a brace each to earn derby bragging rights
Kevin De Bruyne double inspires dominant Man City to thrash broken rivals Manchester United
A big win in the title race, and yet no big deal for Manchester City. They brushed Manchester United aside with a 4-1 win that could have been so much worse. The greatest indictment of the Premier League’s most successful club - a stat that increasingly feels like it’s from a bygone era - is that this was probably the easiest game of City’s recent run.
It may even restore a sense of momentum and confidence to Pep Guardiola’s side just as they seemed to be faltering slightly in the title race with Liverpool, but then it never felt like there was any doubt they would beat their once-great rivals here. That is what this derby has become for them, in markedly quick time.
It was evidently a monstrous task for United, though, all the more so when you consider the wider context. This was Ralf Rangnick’s first game against a fellow “big six” club, and the team’s first since the start of December.
Kevin De Bruyne double inspires dominant Man City to thrash broken rivals
Manchester City 4-1 Manchester United: Riyad Mahrez also landed a brace after Jadon Sancho has briefly levelled for the visitors
Man City 4 - 1 Man Utd
Kevin De Bruyne has been directly involved in 88 goals in his 100 Premier League home appearances for Manchester City and Chelsea combined (37 goals, 51 assists).
Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard sparkle as Arsenal hold off spirited Watford to move into top four
Even allowing for Cucho Hernandez’s spectacular overhead kick, the irresistible skill of Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka proved an unbridgeable gulf in class as Arsenal maintained their top-four charge with a 3-2 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road. This was hardly anticipated as a potential upset, with Watford’s wretched home form at the heart of their increasingly certain slide towards the second division, but this was never a cruise for Mikel Arteta’s side and contained an unnecessarily nerve-riddled finish.
Arsenal had looked to be strolling towards a fourth successive Premier League win after Odegaard and Saka combined to devastating effect inside the opening five minutes. But Hernandez’s outrageous stroke of imagination galvanised Watford and, even after Saka and Gabriel Martinelli reinforced Arsenal’s ascendancy, Roy Hodgson’s side remained threatening and should really have reduced the deficit before Moussa Sissoko added their second after 86 minutes.
It was a resilient display that can still assure faint hope in the relegation fight, but the streak of mettle that has underlined Arsenal’s pursuit of a Champions League place didn’t break here. They now occupy fourth after West Ham faltered and this momentum feels less fragile than the days of old under Arteta. For that, he can take great credit, but there can be no disputing that it was Saka and Odegaard who were the guiding lights again.
Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard sparkle as Arsenal hold off spirited Watford
Watford 2-3 Arsenal: Moussa Sissoko struck late but the Gunners held on to move up to fourth in the Premier League
Man City 4 - 1 Man Utd
That defeat means that Manchester United drop out of the top four after Arsenal’s victory over Watford earlier in the day. They are now one point behind the Gunners having played two games more than Mikel Arteta’s team.
Full-time: Man City 4 - 1 Man Utd
90+4 mins: Manchester City extend their lead at the top of the table to six points after blowing Manchester United away in the second half. Kevin De Bruyne did the damage in the first 45 minutes and then City stepped up a level. They dominated possession, passed it around the pitch with seeming ease and took advantage when the chances came.
GOAL! Man City 4 - 1 Man Utd (Mahrez, 90+1’)⚽️
90+1 mins: Icing on the cake for City! Ilkay Gundogan nicks the ball off Fred in the middle of the pitch and carries it into the final third. Mahrez comes inside and makes a run into the middle of the box as Gundogan threads the ball thorugh to him. He collects it and guides a left-foot shot back towards the bottom right corner and picks up his second of the game.
The goal is initially ruled out for offside but VAR takes a long look at the replays and judges it to be good. City have their fourth.
Man City 3 - 1 Man Utd
89 mins: Close! Jack Grealish has been fantastic today for Manchester City, he’s been blistering on the ball, linked up brilliantly with Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva and driven City up the pitch on numerous occasions. This time he brings the ball into the left side of the box and cuts it across to Ilkay Gundogan whose shot hits wrong side of the near side netting.
Man City 3 - 1 Man Utd
86 mins: A rare mistake from Joao Cancelo sees him give the ball away to Marcus Rashford. Rashford doesn’t have many options so takes the ball over to the right side of the pitch and swings a deep cross into the box. Bruno Fernandes makes a run into the area on the far side but Ederson meets the ball in the air and tips it over the head of the Manchester United midfielder.
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