Arsenal will look to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League standings when they host Southampton at the Emirates Stadium on Friday night.
Team Form
Arsenal
Despite a solid performance throughout the season, Arsenal stumbled in their last two matches against Liverpool and West Ham United. Despite being two goals ahead in both games, they dropped points, which put their title charge on hold for now.
Arsenal sits at the top of the league table with a four-point lead over second-placed Manchester City. However, the latter still has a game in hand, so it’s crucial for Arsenal to secure a win and move seven points ahead of the reigning champions.
In anticipation of their upcoming match, Arsenal will be facing Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium next Wednesday in what’s expected to be a highly anticipated clash.
Given the event’s magnitude, Arteta’s team cannot afford to make any errors in this game, especially since they’ve had an excellent run with 23 wins, five draws, and three losses in their 31 league matches.
Arsenal PL Form: W W W D D
Southampton
Southampton has had a mixed season, with 13 of their 23 points collected away from home. They’ve managed to record four wins on the road, including a notable 1-0 victory against Chelsea in February. In addition, they held Manchester United to a goalless draw at Old Trafford in March.
However, things have worsened lately, with Ruben Selles’s side failing to secure a win in the league since the start of March. They’ve lost four out of their last five matches, including their last three against West Ham United, Manchester City, and Crystal Palace.
Despite their recent struggles, it’s not time to hit the panic button as they sit only four points behind 17th-placed Everton, having played the same number of matches (31). With plenty of football left to be played before the season’s end, Southampton can still climb up the table and avoid relegation.
Southampton PL Form: L D L L L
Squad Report
Arsenal
Arsenal will miss Mohamed Elneny and Takehiro Tomiyasu for the match on Friday due to injuries. William Saliba is also expected to remain on the sidelines due to a back problem.
On the other hand, Arsenal may have the services of Oleksandr Zinchenko back for the game, as he’s expected to replace Kieran Tierney in the starting lineup.
Southampton
On loan from Arsenal, Ainsley Maitland-Niles will not be eligible to play against his parent club.
Meanwhile, due to injury, Juan Larios, Valentino Livramento, Mislav Orsic, and Mohammed Salisu will remain unavailable.
Che Adams could return to the squad after a calf issue, but he’s unlikely to start the match.
Arsenal’s expected starting lineup:
Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Thomas, Odegaard; Martinelli, Jesus, Saka
Southampton’s expected starting lineup:
Bazunu; Perraud, Bednarek, Bella-Kotchap, Walker-Peters; Djenepo, Ward-Prowse, Lavia, Sulemana; Alcaraz, Onuachu
Head to Head
Arsenal has a dominant record against Southampton, having won 53 out of the 105 matches between the two teams. In contrast, Southampton has only secured 23 victories, with the remaining 29 matches ending in draws.
Furthermore, in their 23 matches at home against Southampton in the Premier League, Arsenal has an unbeaten record.
This feat is the most any team has managed against another team in the competition, highlighting Arsenal’s impressive dominance in their home fixtures against Southampton.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Friday, April 21
Time: 08:00 pm, BST
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
Prediction
Given Arsenal’s impressive home record against Southampton and their quality on the field, it’s reasonable to expect them to secure a win in this match.
