Daily Mirror

GROW A PER

Deeney mocks Arsenal’s lack of ’cojones’ and says: They all backed off.. happy days

- BY NEIL McLEMAN

TROY DEENEY delivered a damning verdict on Arsenal – and Mesut Ozil – after Watford’s comeback victory over Arsene Wenger’s side.

The Hornets striker scored the equaliser and helped create mayhem in the Gunners box, before Tom Cleverley’s stoppage-time winner.

Gunners boss Wenger was furious with the award of a penalty for Hector Bellerin’s challenge on Richarliso­n.

But Deeney responded: “I thought it was a foul and, if it was at the other end, nobody would have said a word, as it is little old Watford. Wenger has already started blaming it for losing.

“There is a reason why Arsenal lost

TOM CLEVERLEY claimed Watford smelled “blood” as they hunted down and killed off Arsenal.

And the England midfielder, whose side were destroyed 6-0 in their last home game by Manchester City, admitted the Hornets had nothing to fear against a Gunners team without Alexis Sanchez.

Troy Deeney went on TV to accuse Arene Wenger’s side of lacking “cojones”, after bullying them into submission. And even the Frenchman could not defend the lack of desire to prevent Cleverley’s stoppageti­me winner.

It was an unappealin­g glimpse of the near future for Gunners fans. No Sanchez, who had a “thigh” injury on his return from Chile duty, while secondhalf sub Mesut Ozil marked the latest date on his farewell tour with a criminally casual miss.

The contrast in the attitudes of subs Deeney and Ozil summed up the difference between the two sides. Throw in Arsenal’s traditiona­l defensive flakiness and getting overtaken by Watford, who now sit in the last Champions League place, is not such a great surprise.

Cleverley, who crashed home the winner for his first goal since 2015, said: “You smell a little bit of blood, but not just with Arsenal – you do that at home

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 ??  ?? GIVING EM WAT FOR Per Mertesacke­r hangs his head while Watford players celebrate after taking the points
GIVING EM WAT FOR Per Mertesacke­r hangs his head while Watford players celebrate after taking the points
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