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Football London
Football London
Sport
Lewis Pangratiou

The Arsenal record Emile Smith Rowe can match by scoring in Premier League clash vs Watford

Arsenal star Emile Smith Rowe can become the first Gunner aged 21 or under to reach double figures in a Premier League season since Nicolas Anelka in 1998/99.

The youngster is Arsenal's top scorer in the league this season with nine goals and he could well match the record set by Anelka by finding the net against relegation battling Watford on Sunday.

Watford have kept three clean sheets in their six Premier League matches under Roy Hodgson, as many as in their previous 38 in the competition under four different managers.

But the difference in quality between the two sides is more than evident, and if he's given the opportunity to play - which he's likely to at some point - Smith Rowe may be afforded the opportunity to match the Frenchman.

Smith Rowe missed the Gunners' last Premier League clash against Wolves through illness but he was pictured back in training this week and looks to have made a recovery ahead of the weekend.

Encouragingly, Arsenal have found the net in all 15 of their Premier League matches v Watford. Only against West Bromwich Albion, with 26 matches, do they have a better 100 per cent scoring rate in the competition.

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Smith Rowe's unlikely to reach the 17 goal tally Anelka set in the 98/99 season before the end of this year's campaign, but his form is still impressive and Arsenal fans have warmed to him as a result.

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