This will the first of back-to-back trips to Southampton in the next week.
Step one is a FA Cup 4th Round tie against the Saints at St. Mary’s Stadium.
Even though this is a crucial match in the competition, I predict Mikel Arteta will not field his normal Premier League starting XI in order to rest a few key players.
Here’s my predicted starting XI…
[4-3-3]
Martinelli, Nketiah, Pepe
Elneny, Willock, Willian
Maitland-Niles, Chambers, Luiz, Bellerin
Leno
Predicted final score…
Southampton 2 – ARSENAL 3 (aet)
COYG!
One of my all-time Arsenal players, Olivier Giroud, returns to Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. This time as a player for the competition, Lille. Giroud scored 105 goals in 253 appearances for the Gunners.
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard on Man City’s punishment. “In terms of how I feel, I potentially could be affected if you like, I wouldn’t want individual players to give stuff back, that wouldn’t be right. But the club, they have to be stripped.”
