Abameyang's goal was his first away from home for Arsenal since Boxing Day
A Ben Foster howler and a needless Troy Deeney red card helped Arsenal climb back into the Premier League top four with victory at Watford.
Goalkeeper Foster gifted the Gunners an opening goal after 10 minutes when he took too long on the ball after collecting a back pass, allowing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to charge down his clearance and deflect the ball in.
Just a minute later, Watford captain Deeney was sent off for throwing his forearm into the face of Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira in a late challenge.
Despite playing with 10 men for 80 minutes, Watford offered the far greater threat, hitting the bar through Adam Masina's powerful drive from distance in the second half, and forcing Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno into a number of excellent saves.
The German denied Craig Cathcart well with his feet shortly after Deeney's red card - and later in the first half dived at full stretch to tip away Etienne Capoue's goalbound free-kick.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles also produced a crucial block with 10 minutes remaining when he slid in to block Andre Gray's shot after the Watford striker had rounded Leno.
The visitors' only real chance came midway through the second half but Foster brilliantly spread himself to block Henrikh Mkhitaryan's volley from close range.
The Gunners were well below their best but the rare away win could prove crucial in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League.
They climb two places to fourth in the table, two points clear of Manchester United and ahead of Chelsea on goal difference.
- Reaction to Watford v Arsenal
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Watford
26Foster
2Janmaat
27Kabasele
15Cathcart
11MasinaSubstituted forSemaat 86'minutes
21FemenÃaSubstituted forSuccessat 59'minutes
29CapoueBooked at 54mins
16Doucouré
19HughesBooked at 86mins
9DeeneyBooked at 11mins
18Gray
Substitutes
1Gomes
3Britos
6Mariappa
10Success
12Sema
14Chalobah
23Navarro
Arsenal
19Leno
20Mustafi
27MavropanosSubstituted forGuendouziat 59'minutes
6Koscielny
18Monreal
11TorreiraSubstituted forÃzilat 45'minutes
34Xhaka
7Mkhitaryan
8RamseySubstituted forMaitland-Nilesat 68'minutes
17Iwobi
14Aubameyang
Substitutes
1Cech
4Elneny
9Lacazette
10Ãzil
15Maitland-Niles
29Guendouzi
31Kolasinac
Referee:
Craig Pawson
Attendance:
20,480
Match Stats
Home TeamWatfordAway TeamArsenal
Possession
Home34%
Away66%
Shots
Home11
Away19
Shots on Target
Home3
Away6
Corners
Home6
Away4
Fouls
Home12
Away8
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Watford 0, Arsenal 1.
Full TimePosted at 90'+4'
Second Half ends, Watford 0, Arsenal 1.
Posted at 90'+3'
Offside, Arsenal. Granit Xhaka tries a through ball, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is caught offside.
Posted at 90'+2'
Offside, Arsenal. Alex Iwobi tries a through ball, but Mesut Ãzil is caught offside.
Posted at 90'
Attempt blocked. Will Hughes (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Posted at 89'
Foul by Mesut Ãzil (Arsenal).
Posted at 89'
Christian Kabasele (Watford) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 88'
Attempt missed. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Alex Iwobi.
Posted at 87'
Foul by Granit Xhaka (Arsenal).
Posted at 87'
Daryl Janmaat (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
SubstitutionPosted at 86'
Substitution, Watford. Ken Sema replaces Adam Masina.
BookingPosted at 86'
Will Hughes (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 86'
Nacho Monreal (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 86'
Foul by Will Hughes (Watford).
Posted at 84'
Matteo Guendouzi (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 84'
Foul by Will Hughes (Watford).
Posted at 83'
Attempt missed. Will Hughes (Watford) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Daryl Janmaat with a cross.
Posted at 81'
Foul by Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal).
Posted at 81'
Andre Gray (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 80'
Attempt blocked. Andre Gray (Watford) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Isaac Success with a headed pass.
Posted at 79'
Foul by Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal).
Posted at 79'
Isaac Success (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 78'
Attempt saved. Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Alex Iwobi.
Posted at 77'
Offside, Watford. Craig Cathcart tries a through ball, but Isaac Success is caught offside.
Posted at 74'
Attempt missed. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) right footed shot from very close range is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Henrikh Mkhitaryan with a cross.
Posted at 71'
Attempt blocked. Mesut Ãzil (Arsenal) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Nacho Monreal.
Posted at 69'
Offside, Arsenal. Matteo Guendouzi tries a through ball, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is caught offside.
Posted at 68'
Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 68'
Foul by Will Hughes (Watford).
SubstitutionPosted at 68'
Substitution, Arsenal. Ainsley Maitland-Niles replaces Aaron Ramsey.
Posted at 64'
Offside, Arsenal. Mesut Ãzil tries a through ball, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is caught offside.
Posted at 62'
Adam Masina (Watford) hits the bar with a left footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Abdoulaye Doucouré.
Posted at 61'
Attempt missed. Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Mesut Ãzil with a cross.
Posted at 60'
Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 60'
Foul by Adam Masina (Watford).
SubstitutionPosted at 59'
Substitution, Watford. Isaac Success replaces Kiko FemenÃa.
SubstitutionPosted at 59'
Substitution, Arsenal. Matteo Guendouzi replaces Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Posted at 58'
Attempt missed. Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Mesut Ãzil.
Posted at 57'
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Will Hughes.
Posted at 57'
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Ben Foster.
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Source: bbc.com