Preview: Arsenal look to stay top of the EPL, and add pressure to their rivals
Mauricio Pochettino's arrival at Southampton brought a breath of fresh air to the club. His style of play is very easy on the eyes, and this season, despite a few mishaps, the Saints have played fairly well.
But after a few internal issues, the Southampton manager will be hoping that his side can respond on the pitch.
Their ownership saga has caused some club officials to step down, while Pablo Osvaldo's altercation with Jose Fonte was the icing on the cake. With the former Roma forward suspended, Pochettino can now focus on a difficult task on Tuesday night, as his side welcomes league leaders Arsenal to St. Mary's.
The last time Southampton defeated the Gunners was in 2002, in a 3-2 thriller. Reproducing that result will not be easy, especially since they have failed to win any of their last three meetings at St. Mary's. And when playing in North London, they have lost five of their last six.
Regardless of the result on Tuesday evening, Southampton will remain 9th in the Premier League table. But they would undoubtedly like to extend their unbeaten run to five consecutive matches in all competitions.
After defeating Yeovil Town in the 4th round of the FA Cup, a meeting with an inspired Arsenal squad will be a big step up in competition. For Pochettino, he will be hopeful that Victor Wanyama will be available, after the former Celtic midfielder suffered a leg injury in December.
Ricky Lambert and Artur Boruc could also be back in the squad, but Dejan Lovren and Gaston Ramirez will be unavailable.
With Lovren out, Olivier Giroud will be looking for more open space in the Southampton back-four. The French international netted both goals in their first meeting at the Emirates this season, with Artur Boruc's blunder contributing to the first goal after 22 minutes.
The Polish goalkeeper will be more cautious this time around, but an in-form Arsenal side may be too much to handle.
Jack Wilshere will miss the match after picking up an injury against Coventry City on Friday. With him out of the squad, Wenger will welcome back Mikel Arteta, Thomas Vermaelen and Aaron Ramsey.
Ramsey and Arteta will provide more depth in Arsenal's very talented midfield, which could be the key factor in Tuesday night's match. But the Gunners should not overlook this Southampton squad, as they have made life difficult for the top four, with the exception of Chelsea, who defeated them twice this season.
Where to watch this match - live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch Southampton vs Arsenal live on Tuesday, January 28, 2014:
In Canada at 14:45 ET on: Sportsnet World Online, Sportsnet World, TalkSport Radio
In the UK at 19:45 GMT on: Arsenal Player
In the USA at 14:45 ET on: TalkSport Radio, Directv, Premier League Extra Time, NBC Sports Live Extra
If you are outside these viewing areas, please visit the Southampton vs Arsenal match page for full TV listings.
