SOUTHAMPTON welcome Arsenal for the second time in three days as the Gunners head back to the scene of their FA Cup defeat.
The Saints overcame the visitors 1-0 in the fourth round of the competition on Saturday, but Mikel Arteta is likely to bring back a number of his big guns for the game tonight.
- Kick-off time: 8.15pm GMT
- TV channel: BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate
- Live stream FREE: BT Sport app/EE customers get BT Sport free
What is the team news?
Southampton have problems with a host of players including Moussa Djenepo, Michael Obafemi, Nathan Redmond, Will Smallbone, Nathan Tella and Jannik Vestergaard.
Oriel Romeu and Mo Salisu are both questionable.
For Arsenal Pablo Mari is out with a calf problem, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is ruled out due to personal reasons.
Follow ALL the latest with our live blog below…
- James Orr
ARTETA ON ARSENAL’S UP TURN IN FORM
“Well, winning games all the time is the best way to reinforce what you are doing. This game is very dangerous, you have to focus on that. You have to be completely sure of where you want to go, how you want to do it and then we think about the time and the experiences that we are having with our players. We can just manipulate, evolve and change little things to try to get to where we want to quicker. At the moment, I am really optimistic.”
- James Orr
HASENHUTTL ON FACING ARSENAL AGAIN
“If the question is whether it will be easier then I must say no. If it’s a weaker team which we are coming up against because they lost against us then I must say no.
“I expect the opposite and we have to prepare for a really, really tough second game now but what I can also say is that are we scared that we might have to lose now then no.
“Are we convinced that we can play better than on Saturday? Definitely. That’s what we want to do.”
- James Orr
TONIGHT'S VENUE
- James Orr
ARTETA ON WHAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM DEFEAT AT ST MARY’S
“I think both teams will learn. I don’t think that any manager or players like to play the same opponent twice, obviously we will take things from Saturday’s game that we will analyse, we have already talked about them and will try to make them better in the next game. The one I really want to change is the result, because I want to win the game.”
- James Orr
GOOD EVENING
Welcome to our live blog of Southampton v Arsenal
The Saints beat Arsenal 1-0 in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday and can move five points clear of the Gunners with another win.
Mikel Arteta’s side will be keen to avenge the weekend’s defeat and climb above Southampton with a much needed win.
Ralph Hasenhuttl named a strong line-up to overcome the Gunners and it would be a surprise to see him deviate too much from his winning formula.
The treatment room at St Mary’s is full at moment with Jannik Vestergaard, Moussa Djenepo, Mohammed Salisu and Oriol Romeu all out of tonight’s fixture due to injury. However, Nathan Redmond could return.
First choice full-backs Ryan Bertrand and Kyle Walker-Peters will both miss out due to suspension and injury respectively.
Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed Saturday’s game due to personal reasons and will also be unavailable for tonight’s trip to the south coast.
Dani Ceballos is a doubt with a calf problem and Pablo Mari is definitely out.
Arteta will no doubt revert to his strongest available line up after making a host of changes for the weekend’s defeat.
Thomas Partey, Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka and Alexandre Lacazette should all return to the starting XI.
Gabriel Martinelli could be handed another start in place of Aubameyang.
Source: Read Full Article