Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi was "lucky" not to be sent off for his role in a confrontation with Watford's Jose Holebas, according to Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness.
The two sides clashed towards the end of the first half of Sunday's Premier League encounter after a tackle from Holebas on Gunners' forward Nicolas Pepe.
The Ivory Coast international reacted badly to the challenge, causing several players from both sides to get involved.
And Guendouzi, who was one of the first Arsenal players to support Pepe's, appeared to raise his arm to the Hornets defender during the skirmish.
Although the incident saw both Holebas and Guendouzi booked by referee Anthony Taylor, Souness felt that 20-year-old was fortunate to avoid harsher punishment.
Speaking on Sky Sports at half-time (via Football London ), he said: "It's never nice getting one in the chops, is it? Eat this for your late lunch.
"He pulls away and then, listen I'm sure we've (Tim Cahill) been in that situation before.
"For me, he pulls it away and then goes back again and he knows what he's doing.
"I think he's been lucky."
Despite taking a 2-0 lead in the first half at Vicarage Road through a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang brace, Arsenal had to settle for a point after a Tom Cleverley strike and a Roberto Pereyra penalty put Watford level after the break.
And Souness also criticised Unai Emery's side after the game for the manner in which they let their lead slip.
"If you are an Arsenal supporter watching that you must be scratching your head," he said .
"It was as if this is the first team in the first half and then the second team in the second half, they capitulated.
"Proper teams don't play like that. Proper teams don't have a half like that in the first and then play like that in the second half. Proper teams just don't do that.
"They bring on some kids - we were questioning them bringing on kids. That was a game that at 2-1 it was time to dig in and regroup and make sure they weren't going to lose the game and they should have lost the game in the second half.
"When the kids came on they were all over the place, it was like a game of basketball, and I think if you're an Arsenal supporter that must deeply worry you."
