This Saturday afternoon, undefeated Arsenal will host winless Southampton at the Emirates Stadium in a Premier League clash.
The Gunners are coming off a solid 2-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, while the Saints suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Bournemouth just a day earlier.
While PSG may still be strong in the post-Kylian Mbappe era, they lacked the attacking spark at the Emirates. Two costly mistakes from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma played a big part in Arsenal’s win.
He misjudged a cross from Leandro Trossard, allowing Kai Havertz to score, and later, Bukayo Saka's free kick slipped past everyone, including Donnarumma.
Mikel Arteta, usually composed after a victory, looked particularly pleased as Arsenal secured their third straight home win this one much more straightforward than last weekend’s thrilling 6-0 rout of Leicester City.
With their latest win, Arsenal sits in third place, just one point behind Liverpool and Manchester City. They’re also on an impressive unbeaten run of 15 matches across all competitions since their Champions League exit to Bayern Munich in April. A victory on Saturday would mark Arsenal's 400th home win in the Premier League, a milestone only Manchester United has achieved so far.
On the other hand, Southampton arrives at the Emirates with a troubling record, having lost 246 away games in Premier League history, the fifth-most ever. Manager Russell Martin seemed resigned after his team's recent performance, where they were overwhelmed by Bournemouth, conceding three goals in the first half. Although Taylor Harwood-Bellis scored early in the second half, Southampton couldn't mount a comeback.
Currently, Southampton sits just above the bottom of the table, narrowly ahead of Wolverhampton Wanderers on goal difference. There’s been no clear decision about Martin’s future, though he still has some support within the club.
However, another poor performance could put his job at risk, especially given the team’s dismal conversion rate of just 4.4%, the worst in the league this season.
Southampton fans might take some comfort from their team’s three-game unbeaten streak against Arsenal, including a memorable 3-3 draw two seasons ago. However, it’s been since 1987 at Highbury that the Saints have managed to win a league match away to the Gunners.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Arteta’s full-back woes aren’t getting any better, as Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Kieran Tierney (hamstring), and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) are all set to miss this match. Ben White (groin) and Jurrien Timber (muscle) are also now doubts.
Timber had to come off at halftime during the win over PSG, where Mikel Merino made his debut as a substitute after recovering from a bizarre shoulder injury. He’ll be eager to start over Thomas Partey this weekend.
The Gunners are also still without captain Martin Odegaard (ankle), but his deputy, Kai Havertz, could shine at home. He has a chance to become the first Arsenal player since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2019 to score in five consecutive Premier League games at the Emirates.
Southampton are facing their own defensive issues as well, with Jack Stephens banned for an additional two games after using insulting language when sent off against Manchester United. His suspension now totals five games.
Will Smallbone has a slim chance of recovering from his thigh injury in time for the trip to North London, but Gavin Bazunu (Achilles) and Kamaldeen Sulemana (ankle) will remain unavailable.
Ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is set to become the ninth keeper to face the Gunners in the Premier League after having played for them. So far, only one of the previous eight Emiliano Martinez with Aston Villa in 2020 has managed to keep a clean sheet in their first game against their former club.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Calafiori, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Havertz, Partey, Rice; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
Southampton possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; Sugawara, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Taylor; Downes, Aribo, Lallana; Fernandes; Dibling, Brereton Diaz
EXPERT PREDICTION
Arsenal 3-0 Southampton
Gooners who remember the end of Arsene Wenger's time at the club know that possession doesn't always translate to success in the Premier League. Southampton is learning this lesson the hard way, and it’s clear they lack the firepower to challenge a solid Arsenal defense.
While Southampton might hold off the Gunners for a bit, it’s hard to see Arteta's attacking side not breaking through eventually. Once they do, the goals are likely to start pouring in.
