Afternoon:
9°c
When Cesc Fabregas spent four months on the sidelines earlier this year it gave him the opportunity to help nurture a talent who could help dump Liverpool out of the Carling Cup tonight.
Sanchez Watt announced himself for the first time to many at Emirates Stadium with an encouraging debut display capped by the opening goal as the Gunners beat West Brom to set up tonight's fourth-round encounter.
Fabregas had long been aware of the 18-year-old's credentials having frequently trained with the reserves as he recovered from medial knee ligament damage sustained against Rafael Benitez's side last December.
"Sanchez Watt had a good game in attack in the last round and scored his first goal," said Fabregas.
"Since last season he has trained with the first team a bit and when I was injured I often trained in the reserves so I know about him.
"He has been doing very well - he's a brave boy who knows what he wants and is strong mentally.
"He is very quick and although he looks quite slight, he has good physical strength and can finish well. He is a great prospect for the future.
"I thought the boys did really well against West Brom and deserved the win. Liverpool coming here is a very interesting tie for everyone.
"I'm not sure if we will see another 6-3 result like the last time we met them in the Carling Cup but obviously we wouldn't complain if that outcome was repeated for us!"
Watt (left) did not join the club until six months after Arsenal's second string destroyed Liverpool at Anfield at the beginning of 2007.
Originally of Caribbean descent and born in Hackney on Valentine's Day in 1991, Watt began playing at Victoria Park with Senrab FC, who have produced a host of Premier League players including John Terry, Jermain Defoe and Sol Campbell.
Herschel Sanchez Watt, to give him his full name, was monitored by the Gunners from the age of seven and cites his father as the principal influence in his career as he rose through the ranks before signing his first professional contract with Arsenal last year.
A quick and adaptable forward with a high work-rate, manager Arsene Wenger has increasingly allowed Watt to train with the first team.
He also named him among the substitutes for Arsenal's recent Champions League trip to Standard Liege.
"I like Sanchez Watt because he is a little bit of a street player," said Wenger. "He makes fantastic runs, he is an aggressive striker or maybe the word is a committed striker - and he always finds resources to be dangerous and he works hard for the team.
"That's why I always include him with the group. He's very close to the first team and I believe he will really be a threat for the strikers."
Having once sought advice aged just 14 from the great Thierry Henry, Watt considers Robin van Persie as one of his main influences among the current Gunners squad.
"I am learning so much all the time," he said. "Arsene Wenger has taught me a lot when I have trained with the first team and obviously I get to learn from people like Robin van Persie as well.
"I am playing as a front man so I am watching everything he does on the ball, off it, his movement, everything. I ask him a lot of questions and he helps me out by giving me plenty of advice and I take it all in.
"Robin is a big team player, he doesn't just work for himself - all the players love him.
"I am just looking to train hard here and take my chances when they come for me, doing as well as I possibly can and helping the team win games."
Tonight also represents an opportunity for Samir Nasri to make a belated start to his second campaign with the club after the attacking midfielder broke his leg during Arsenal's pre-season trip to Austria.
"We are at the end of October so what is good for him is that he is fresh, he has prepared well and he can be an important asset in the coming weeks," said Wenger.
Liverpool manager Benitez will have a degree of sympathy, given he has been without £20million signing Alberto Aquilani during his side's faltering start to the season.
The ship has been steadied somewhat by last weekend's hard-fought victory over Manchester United at Anfield and Benitez is hopeful Aquilani will make an appearance, and a quick impression, tonight.
"We can see in every training session that he has quality, game intelligence and good movements," said the Liverpool manager.
"He is a different kind of player for us."
Watt is proving to be just that tonight, watched by Fabregas and the striker's ever-present father, who might for once have slightly split loyalties - he is a Liverpool fan after all.
