5 talking points as Odegaard and Saka set up away win for Arsenal at Watford

Arsenal's top four pursuit remained on track on Sunday as they completed a league double over relegation-threatened Watford at Vicarage Road.

Mikel Arteta named an unchanged XI from the side which secured a last-gasp victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, with Takehiro Tomiyasu and Emile Smith Rowe still not ready to return.

The hosts gave Arsenal an early scare, with Emmanuel Dennis finding the net inside 20 seconds but being denied by an offside flag, but Arsenal shook off the nerves to take a fifth-minute lead through Martin Odegaard.

Cucho Hernandez levelled things up, putting away Kiko Femenia's cross with an audacious bicycle kick, but Arsenal had retaken the lead before half-time as Saka exchanged passes with Alexandre Lacazette before beating Ben Foster.

Gabriel Martinelli extended the lead early in the second half, while Moussa Sissoko set up a nervy final few minutes after getting past Ben White too easily, but Arsenal held on for victory.

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1. Odegaard continuing to step up

"He needs to create more goals, he needs to score more goals."

That was the advice offered to Martin Odegaard by Artet a before the trip to Vicarage Road, and the Norwegian took less than five minutes to take his manager's words on board.

The early strike seemed to fill Odegaard with confidence, and the former Real Madrid man continued to pull the strings in the first period even after the hosts levelled things up.

His career-best tally still stands at eight league goals, during a loan spell with Vitesse, and the early strike against Watford was his fifth of an impressive campaign.

With top scorer Smith Rowe remaining on the sidelines, it was always going to be important for Arsenal's other midfielders to make up for his absence.

2. Lacazette sticking to his task

While Arsenal's victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers owed a lot to Alexandre Lacazette drifting wide, this was a game where the Gunners needed their number nine to, well, play as a number nine.

The Frenchman helped keep home centre-backs Craig Cathcart and Samir occupied, allowing Arsenal's wide men to isolate themselves against their respective full-backs while also freeing up more space for Odegaard in central areas whenever Watford's midfielders dropped back to help.

His involvement in Saka's first-half strike, too, was the kind of play Arteta will have been happy to see - an almost telepathic link between a striker and a supporting midfielder - and his back-to-goal play was used to great effect again to tee up Martinelli.

Arsenal will still be on the lookout for attacking reinforcements in the summer, but Lacazette's performance was encouraging for a team who don't have too many other options through the middle for the rest of this season.

3. Hernandez giving Watford hope without Sarr

After scoring on his Watford debut in August, Cucho Hernandez hasn't been able to develop any kind of consistency for the Hornets.

He had scored just one more time before taking to the field against Arsenal, delivering a meaningless consolation against Manchester City in December, but the goal against the Gunners was among the best any player in Roy Hodgson's side can expect to score this season.

All five of Watford's wins this season have come with Ismaila Sarr in the side, with the injury suffered by the Senegal star against Manchester United in November - and the long absence which followed - arguably costing Claudio Ranieri his job.

With Sarr also expected to be missing against Wolves on Thursday, the likes of Hernandez will need to continue to do their bit.

4. Arteta playing his part in team effort

"Mikel Arteta's first assist of the season," joked Sky Sports' commentary team, but the manager's role in Gabriel Martinelli's goal can't be overlooked.

With the score at 2-1, Arsenal couldn't consider themselves home and dry, especially with Watford continuing to flood forward on the break.

Arteta's alertness allowed his team to take a quick throw-in, with the ball eventually finding its way to Martinelli for the Brazilian to find the top corner.

It's the sort of thing you only get with a manager who is out on the touchline and mentally kicking and heading every single ball.

5. Cedric still nervy despite improved Arsenal run

For perhaps the first time this season, Arsenal fans looked at a teamsheet without Tomiyasu at right-back and didn't immediately fear the worst.

Cedric Soares had been all but written off by sections of the support before his recent run in the side, but the Portugal international has felt more at home in the side of late.

Perhaps he has got too comfortable, though: including a second-half booking added unnecessary nerves, while he almost gifted the opposition a chance with a pass straight to a Watford player in a dangerous position.

The former Southampton man was a threat from set pieces, but also from open play, getting involved in the third goal by recognising the space in front of him and supporting his teammates.

However, Tomiyasu's return from a calf injury will still be a welcome one, such was his impact on the team before Christmas, as even the new and improved version of Cedric can't be trusted entirely.