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Tashan Deniran-Alleyne & Chris Wheatley & Kaya Kaynak

Pepe starts, Martinelli misses out: The Arsenal team Mikel Arteta should pick vs Watford

As Mikel Arteta looks to keep up the momentum from a fantastic February, he couldn't have asked for a much kinder fixture than Watford away.

The Hornets claimed an impressive point against Manchester United at Old Trafford last time out, but only just about held on for the draw against a United side who have struggled to take chances under Ralf Rangnick.

Arsenal have vastly improved in that department, since December, although they will be wary of the fact that they need to pick up all three points in order to boost their top four hopes that bit more.

The Gunners may be favourites, but it only takes one unexpected bad result for that to change.

As a result the pressure is on Arteta to get his team selection right.

Luckily for the Spaniard, football.london 's Arsenal writers Kaya Kaynak, Chris Wheatley and Tashan Deniran-Alleyne are all on hand to pick the teams that they would go for in Sunday's clash at Vicarage Road.

Tashan Deniran-Alleyne - Arsenal Writer

With Takehiro Tomiyasu a doubt, I wouldn't take any risks with him especially with games against Leicester City, Liverpool and Aston Villa looming.

Cedric Soares has taken me by surprise with how consistent he's been in Tomiyasu's absence and that makes it easier for Mikel Arteta to name an unchanged back four in front of Aaron Ramsdale once again.

The same applies to the midfield trio of Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard as they've all been really impressive in their own right of late.

It's in attack where Arteta has some big decisions to make.

Nicolas Pepe changed the game against Wolves after coming on as a substitute and such was his impact that he should be rewarded with a place in the starting XI. Problem is, Emile Smith Rowe is available again after missing out last time. As Arsenal's leading scorer this season, he just has to start for me and that means Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli have to settle for a place on what will be a strong-looking subs bench.

For Pepe and Smith Rowe to both start, either Bukayo Saka or Alexandre Lacazette would have to be dropped and the latter certainly deserves another chance at ending his long goal drought after giving his all against Wolves.

Deniran-Alleyne's XI: Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Odegaard, Xhaka; Saka, Lacazette, Smith Rowe.

Kaya Kaynak - Arsenal writer

If Takehiro Tomiyasu is not fit then I see little point in risking aggrevating his calf problem any further.

Cedric has been really impressive in the past three games, and with Ismaila Sarr out, Watford's threat down the wings is diminshed severely. On top of that Arsenal will want to go at Watford, so the Portuguese international's front-footed approach will be welcome.

Midfield is an obvious set of selections but I've made a point of listing my players in a 4-3-3 formation, as that is how the Gunners play these days rather than in a 4-2-3-1.

With Nicolas Pepe playing such a big role and Emile Smith Rowe back fit, it is a really hard call to decide who starts up front.

Personally I would keep things the way they were last time, with Gabriel Martinelli's excellent finshing and Bukayo Saka's creativity likely to cause no end of problems for the Hornets, while Alexandre Lacazette will still be riding the high of his late sting in the tail against Wolves.

Kaynak's Arsenal XI: Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard; Saka, Lacazette, Martinelli.

Chris Wheatley - Chief Arsenal correspondent

The back line pretty much picks itself when you consider that Takehiro Tomiyasu has not been pictured in training during Arsenal's session at the Emirates this week.

Midfield is an equally easy set of selections, with Thomas Partey looking to prove Mikel Arteta right by showing he can in fact shoot from distance and Granit Xhaka going from strength to strength as he selflessly adapts to the number eight role.

Up front I think Nicolas Pepe was so impactful off the bench that I would give him the start in this match.

Emile Smith Rowe may not be back to full fitness after his illness, while Gabriel Martinelli wasn't in the game much against Wolves, so why not give the pumped up Ivorian a run.

Who gets into your starting XI? Pick your team below

Bukayo Saka has to continue on the right, and up front I'd go for Alexandre Lacazette who will want a goal that is most definitely his own this time around.

Wheatley's Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Cedric, Gabriel, White, Tierney, Xhaka, Partey, Ødegaard, Pepe, Saka, Lacazette.

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