EPL: Gunners ambush struggling Saints 

Arsenal vs. Southampton

Venue: Emirates Stadium

Kick off: 3:05PM

Arsenal will be looking to climb back into the top four when they resume their Premier League campaign with a home match against strugglers Southampton this afternoon.

The Gunners, last in top-flight action two weeks ago when seeing off Huddersfield Town 2-1, are fifth in the table and a point adrift of Manchester United in the final Champions League spot.

Defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium last month may have provided a reality check for Unai Emery, but three wins from their last four league outings is still a positive return for Arsenal.

As well as earning one-goal wins over Cardiff City and Huddersfield, the Gunners also beat Chelsea 2-0 on home soil to revive their top-four hopes.

With 12 matches to go, just a point separates Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United in a three-team race for fourth place.

Since earning their narrow win at the John Smith’s Stadium on February 9, through first-half goals from Alex Iwobi and Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal have played a couple of Europa League matches.

Following a shock 1-0 loss away to BATE Borisov – a loss that will go down as one of their worst ever in European football – Emery’s men recovered with a well-earned 3-0 triumph in Thursday’s second leg to set up a last-16 tie with Rennes.

The Europa League may well take priority for three-time winner Emery as the weeks go on, knowing that it not only gives him a chance to win silverware in his first season at the helm but also guarantees a place in the Champions League next term.

For now, though, fourth place is still very much in touching distance and Arsenal could end the weekend in that spot.

Man United take on a much-fancied Liverpool side at Old Trafford and out-of-form Chelsea are not in league action due to their EFL Cup commitments.

Arsenal will fancy their chances of overcoming Southampton as they are unbeaten in 12 Premier League home games, winning the last six in a row.

Against sides starting the day in the relegation zone, meanwhile, the Gunners have won their last 30 at the Emirates since a 4-4 draw with Tottenham in October 2008.

Southampton however suffered a 2-1 home loss to fellow strugglers Cardiff in their most recent outing saw them slip below their opponents back into the relegation zone.

After a couple of months of positives following Ralph Hasenhuttl’s appointment in December, the Saints came crashing back down to earth when Kenneth Zohore picked out the bottom corner in the final seconds of play two weeks ago.

Hasenhuttl’s side had been unbeaten in five Premier League matches in 2019 prior to that setback, collecting nine points from games against Chelsea, Leicester, Everton, Crystal Palace and Burnley this calendar year.

Arsenal possible XI: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Mustafi, Monreal, Torreira, Xhaka, Mkhitaryan, Ramsey, Aubameyang, Lacazette.

Southampton possible XI: McCarthy, Bednarek, Stephens, Vestergaard, Valery, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Bertrand, Long, Redmond.