Hell to heaven as Arsenal flip form

ARSENAL have eased their way past Watford 3-0 in the Premier League, marking their first clean sheet in 12 league matches and settling nerves at the Emirates after a string of losses in 2018.

The win leaves Arsenal 10 points off Champions League qualification in sixth place in the standings, while Watford stay in 10th.

Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham moved back into third with a 4-1 win at Bournemouth but it may have come at a cost with top-scorer Harry Kane injured.

“It was a convincing win. It gets us out of that negative spiral that we were in,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.

Prior to their midweek 2-0 away win over AC Milan in the Europa League, the Gunners had lost four games in a row in all competitions, including back-to-back 3-0 drubbings by runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City.

“In one week we got from hell to heaven,” Wenger said.

Arsenal’s German defender Shkodran Mustafi opened the scoring in the eighth minute, heading home from a Mesut Ozil free kick for his third goal of the season and the home side’s 1000th of the Premier League era. Watford pressed Arsenal back as the first half ended, but were unable to equalise.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang doubled the lead just short of the hour mark.

After Watford missed a penalty shot, Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored in the 77th minute.