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Date: Saturday, November 23, 2013
Venue: Emirates Stadium
KO: 15.00
Arsenal weren’t expected to be top of the Premier League table by late November. Southampton certainly weren’t meant to be inside the top three either, yet both teams find themselves in a very good position as they do battle this weekend. With just six points splitting the top eight teams at the moment, both will know that a result this week is key to keeping their strong start going, but they’ll also know that given the strength of their opponents, that won’t be an easy task.
Team News
Both Aaron Ramsey (hamstring) and Theo Walcott (abdominal) are expected to undergo late fitness tests to assess whether they are healthy enough to play this weekend, but both are expected to be available for selection. Yaya Sanogo (back),Lukas Podolski (hamstring), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee) and Abou Diaby (ACL) all remain long-term absentees.
Few injury concerns for the Saints with the likes of Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguezreturning from international duty without any concerns. Mauricio Pochettino should have a full complement of players available to him—apart from Guly do Prado (knee).
Predicted Line-ups
Arsenal
The biggest question for Arsenal’s starting side is as to whether Arsene Wenger will want to keep Walcott back into the first-team or ease him back as a substitute, and I think it may just be the former of those options. Walcott provides a great outlet forMesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla to release through on goal—as well as a great partner pushing forward for Olivier Giroud—that I think we’ll see him in the squad again. That should shift Ozil centrally and Cazorla out wide to the left, while the remainder of the Gunners’ squad essentially hand-picks itself for this big game.
Southampton
Having utilized a number of formations already this season, there’s certainly a number of options available for Southampton here to choose from, but I think they’ll stick with the 4-2-3-1 that they’ve used for most of the season (and had much success in). Lallana and Rodriguez should slot back in to their regular positions while the Saints’ double-pivot of Victor Wanyama and Morgan Schneiderlin will be of utmost importance for the visitors in controlling the multiple attacking threats that Arsenal boast.
Recent Form
Sitting top of the table, Arsenal come into this one on the back of a tough defeat toManchester United last fortnight, but with an impressive home record. Since their opening week loss to Aston Villa (in the days before Ozil), the Gunners have won four straight at home and conceded just two goals in that time as well.
However, that won’t daunt Southampton—they have the best defensive record in the league and are coming into this one on the back of an eight-game undefeated streak. The Saints have already taken points off Manchester United, Liverpool andStoke City playing away from home, and will fancy their chances at doing the same this week.
Players to Watch
Arsenal — Olivier Giroud
With both Walcott and Ramsey likely to take part this week alongside the rest of Arsenal’s midfield, look for Olivier Giroud attempting to again establish his dominance at the top of the attack. The Frenchman comes into this one as the club’s second-highest goal-scorer and with the second most amount of chances created for others, but has found the back of the net just once in his last seven games. Against the best defensive team in the league this season, Giroud has a very important role to play in both holding it up and creating chances for others, but also finishing ruthlessly at the top of the attack like he did well at the start of the season.
Southampton — James Ward-Prowse
Still only a teenager, James Ward-Prowse has a huge role to play for Southampton this week out on the right flank. The England youngster has proven to be one of the most creative players in the league this season—leading the team in goal-scoring chances created—and against Kieran Gibbs (who loves to get forward) could provide a great outlet for the likes of Jay Rodriguez and Rickie Lambert to utilize going forward.
Prediction
Arsenal—given their home ground advantage—will come into this one as favourites, and rightly so given the number of attacking options they carry with them. Walcott’s return and connection with Ozil should help them once more but Southampton’s defense has been notoriously stingy this year and I can’t see it changing here. Both teams love the possession-based attack, so I can’t see Pochettino’s men being drawn into a dogfight, and I think—with a little bit of luck on the counterattack—that Southampton may just record their most stunning result of the season with a shock upset.
Arsenal 0-1 Southampton
