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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Aaron Flanagan

Arsenal set new record in Watford draw - but it does not make good reading

Arsenal set a new club record in their draw at Watford - but fans will be cringing at it.

That's because the Gunners were left so exposed at the back they ended up facing more shots than they ever have in a Premier League fixture.

In total, Watford had 31 efforts on goal. The majority of those came in the rampant second half their Arsenal blew their lead.

By full-time, Arsenal will be wondering how they even left with a point.

In contrast, it was the most shots on goal that Watford have ever had in a single Premier League fixture.

Watford had a host of efforts in their draw with Arsenal (REUTERS)

The sheer level of intensity and passion that Watford approached the second half with left Arsenal buckling under the pressure.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's two first-half goals were cancelled out on the back of errors from centre-half duo Sokratis and David Luiz.

Sokratis fell asleep from a goal kick and played a lazy pass straight into the path of the onrushing Gerard Deulofeu, who knocked the ball to Tom Cleverley to score.

Then David Luiz's dangling leg gave away a clumsy penalty where the scores were levelled.

David Luiz (left) was among those to make a massive mistake in the game (REUTERS)

Following the game, manager Unai Emery was left fuming with the performance but said his side just could not deal with the pressure that Watford were putting on them.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Emery said: "They pushed us, Watford last year played like today.

"We were up in the first half and we knew that we needed to score the third.

"They had the capacity to come back with the supporters and that's what happened.

"We couldn't break their pressing in the second half. They are physical, a very strong team. They pushed for our mistakes, they were playing for our mistakes.

"When you are trying to break their lines you can have chances. They won the second half and my summary is it is not a good point.

"We need to continue working. When we tried to play the long ball we lost the ball as well."

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