Watford Hammer Arsenal 4:2 in Closed Door Friendly Clash

• Arsenal had lined up four friendly clashes to play during the Premier League break occasioned by the ongoing World Cup in Qatar
• The Gunners' first test of the four was Saturday afternoon when they took on Championship side Watford in a behind-closed-doors friendly
• The match ended in a 4-2 defeat for the north Londoners, with The Hornets staging a second-half comeback to humble Arsenal
• Mikel Arteta's charges are currently topping the Premier League charts with 37 points, five points ahead of reigning champions Man City

Premier League giants Arsenal have been handed a reality check after they were humbled 4-2 in a behind-closed-doors friendly clash against Watford on Saturday afternoon, December 3.

The Gunners have been in flawless form this term, with the side currently enjoying a five-point lead at the top of the standings.

Mikel Arteta's charges have lost only once in 14 Premier League outings, picking an impressive 37 points in the process.

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But with the 2022/23 Premier League season currently on hold due to the ongoing 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Arteta has been intensifying preparations for the resumption of the campaign with the players who are in camp.

According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal have scheduled four games throughout the World Cup hiatus, with Arteta keen to keep his charges fit and available.

One of the fixtures was their friendly clash against Watford over the weekend, which ended in a 4-2 defeat for the north Londoners.

Arteta fielded a strong starting line-up for the first half of the clash, with Martin Odegaard, Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel all starting.

The Emirates outfit took a 2-1 lead into the break after Nketiah and Brazilian star Marquinhos scored against The Hornets.

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Arteta went on to make 10 changes after the break, with the Spaniard handing several youth players some minutes to shine.

However, the move proved costly for the side as Watford's Keinan Davis, Yaser Asprilla and Joao Pedro all got on the scoresheet in the second half to condemn Arsenal to an embarrassing defeat.

Arsenal suffer Jesus blow

Earlier, Sports Brief reported Gabriel Jesus could reportedly be out for a lengthy period dealing Arsenal's title charge a massive blow.

Jesus was forced out with a knee injury in Brazil's last group game against Cameroon at the World Cup.

Jesus has played a crucial role for Mikel Arteta's side stunning start to the Premier League season, and if he is out for a lengthy period, Arsenal's title challenge will suffer.