Southampton (H)

Great, comfortable, home win in the Champions League after the drama of last Saturday. Next up for the unbeaten Arsenal is the winless Southampton at the Emirates.

Early Arsenal Team News
Again the big discussion is right back with both Jurrien Timber and Ben White doubts. The solution on Wednesday was Riccardo Calafiori moving across with Jakub Kiwior coming in at left back. Takehiro Tomiyasu is back in training but is probably not ready to start, so youngsters Myles Lewis Skelly, Josh Nichols and Josh Robinson may all be hoping for a chance.

Mikel Merino finally made his debut on Wednesday night, so offers another option in midfield, although there seems little reason to rush him into the starting XI (unless Arteta puts Partey right back!!!). Likewise, there seems to be little reason to change the attackers, despite Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus waiting for chances.

XI?
---------------Raya-----------------
Calafiori--Saliba--Gabriel--Kiwior
---------Partey---Rice-------------
Saka--Trossard--Havertz--Martinelli


Southampton Form
The Saints return to the PL has not been great. Defeats to Newcastle, Forest, Brentford, Man Utd and Bournemouth with just one point won at home to fellow new boys Ipswich. They have conceded 12, with 3 teams scoring 3 times. They have scored just 3 goals.

Star Man
Tyler Dibling only made his senior debut last season, and had just a couple of league minutes, but has quickly become the Saints player to watch. A youth international team-mate of the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and MLS, intriguingly he may be up against the latter on Saturday. He has one goal already this season, and also won the penalty against Man Utd when the scores were level. He has played various roles already, wing back, right sided attacker and striker.

Ex-Gunner in Goal
It is a swift return for Aaron Ramsdale, and he comes back with a point to prove. He is already in double figures for goals conceded, despite playing just 4 games, and has been very busy in the Saints goal. After seeing Leicester 'keeper Mads Hermansen pull off countless saves but still concede 4, Ramsdale will expect a tough time.

Saints XI
Russell Martin has chopped and changed a lot in the 6 games, with only Jan Bednarek, Yukinari Sugawara and Flynn Downes starting all 6. Bednarek could be partnered by Taylor Harwood Bellis. The highly rated Man City academy star captained England to u21 Euro glory last summer. Jack Stephens is back after suspension and could make it 3 at the back. If it is 3 at the back, Kyle Walker Peters could return to the XI, although he has been left out for Charlie Taylor recently.

In midfield alongside Downes could be Chelsea academy star Lesley Ugochukwu and tenacious Portuguese u21 international Mateus Fernandes. Out wide should be Dibling, with Ryan Fraser, Maxwell Cornet, Ben Brereton Diaz, Joe Aribo, Ross Stewart and Adam Lallana all hoping to be involved.

Their striker role has been an issue, with Brereton Diaz, Dibling, Adam Armstrong and Cameron Archer all being used up there.

It has been chop and change for Martin this season, and you have to expect changes after Mondays disappointing performance. A defensive set-up is likely so we could see:

---------------------Ramsdale-----------------
---------Bednarek-Harwood Bellis--Stephens
Sugawara--Downes--Fernandes--Ugochukwu---Walker Peters
--------------Dibling-------Armstrong------------

but there are lots of options.


Historical Meetings
Southampton have been a bit of a bogey side for us. Failure to beat them home or away the last time they were in the PL massively dented our hopes of the title - the 3-3 at the Emirates a truly crushing blow. We needed 2 late goals from Odegaard and Saka to even get that point.
While being somewhat a pain in the arris for us, taking a fair few draws at the Emirates (3 of the last 4) and a few famous wins at St Marys, they haven't beaten us in the league at our ground in the PL era. 1987, thanks to a Danny Wallace goal, and a 3-0 in 1968 are the only Saints away league wins on record.

Memorable Meetings
The first home PL meeting was a very eventful one. Saints took an early lead before Andy Linighan, Paul Merson and Jimmy Carter gave us a 3-1 lead by the 20th minute. Micky Adams and Matt Le Tissier scored either side of half time before Carter got his second and the match winner with 10 minutes left.

On 22/09/95 Dennis Bergkamp netted his first Arsenal goals in a 4-2 win at Highbury. DB10 opened the scoring, and Tony Adams made it 2-0. However, a quick reply and a goal moments into the second half levelled scores. Bergkamp made it 3-2 and Ian Wright completed the scoring.

Our biggest win was a historic one for more than one reason. Robert Pires and Jermaine Pennant both netted hat-tricks in the 6-1 win in May 2003. However, the true significance of the win was only to be found out over a year later - it was the first of 49 games without defeat!

A decade later we repeated the 6-1 scoreline, although this game proved less significant. Podolski, Gervinho (2), Walcott and 2 own goals saw this early season meeting end comfortably.

Our last home win over Southampton was in 2021, a 3-0 win courtesy of Lacazette, Odegaard and a Gabriel header from a corner!!


Prediction
Hopefully they will have learnt from their mistakes last week - I am going for a 3-0 win, with Havertz, Martinelli netting and a PL debut goal for Merino!