Arsenal ride their luck to make it seven in a row

Arsenal extended their winning streak to seven matches as Craig Cathcart's late own goal and Mesut Ozil's clinical strike clinched a hard-fought 2-0 win over Watford on Saturday.

Unai Emery's side were under the cosh in the second half at the Emirates Stadium, but they kept Watford at bay and broke out to steal the points.

Cathcart put through his own net with just nine minutes left and Ozil wrapped up the points two minutes later.

Arsenal have now won five successive league games for the first time in over a year, with additional victories in the Europa League and League Cup making it a purple patch for new boss Emery.

Not for the first time this season, Arsenal, who climb to fifth, could be considered slightly lucky after delivering another inconsistent display.

But Emery will take heart from the way they are grinding out results while he continues to rebuild the damage from the final days of the Arsene Wenger era.

The only problem for Emery was an injury that forced off goalkeeper Petr Cech in the first half.

Watford went into a match against Arsenal higher in the table than their opponents for the first time since 1984.

But Javi Gracia's side wasted an early chance to show that position was no fluke when Will Hughes volleyed wide from the edge of the area.

Emery was up against a former team-mate in Gracia, the pair played together at Real Sociedad, and it was the Arsenal boss who would have the upper hand eventually.

Lacazette should have opened the scoring when he seized on Cathcart's cumbersome attempt to turn and raced clear on goal.

But, with only Watford keeper Ben Foster to beat, Lacazette's chip drifted tamely wide.

Cech bravely took a battering from Abdoulaye Doucoure, throwing himself into a crowd to catch Jose Holebas's cross.

Granit Xhaka tested Watford's Foster with a stinging long-range drive that the keeper parried to safety.

But, after grabbing his hamstring following a goal-kick, Arsenal captain Cech was forced to limp off in first half stoppage-time.

- Distracted Ramsey -
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