Watford battle back to salvage 2-2 draw against Arsenal

Arsenal squandered a two-goal lead as Watford hit back to draw 2-2 in new manager Quique Sanchez Flores’s first game of his second stint in charge at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

Flores’s return following the dismissal of Javi Gracia after four games of the 2019/2020 English Premier League (EPL) season seemed to be going flat as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck twice.

But, after returning from the break, Tom Cleverley halved the deficit in the 53rd minute after some dreadful Arsenal carelessness.

Watford were rewarded for a much-improved display when substitute Roberto Pereyra converted an 81st-minute penalty kick awarded after he was brought down by David Luiz.

Watford came agonisingly close to winning it with Gerard Deulofeu curling just wide and then Abdoulaye Doucoure having stoppage-time shot saved by Bernd Leno after a counter-attack.

Victory would have put Arsenal into third place but they ended the day seventh in a cluster of clubs on eight points.

Watford are still seeking a first win of the season and remain bottom, even though they doubled their points tally to two.