Arsenal vs Southampton: EPL Match Preview, Predicted Line-ups and Fantasy XI

The Gunners kick-off the next round of Premier League fixtures during Arsenal vs Southampton in the Emirates Stadium on Friday night.

Match Details:

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Emirates Stadium
• Date: Friday 21 April
• Kick-off Time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT
• Referee: Simon Hooper
• VAR: Peter Bankes

Arsenal vs Southampton: Match Preview

There have been only four occasions of bottom beating top in the competition history, the last of those coming back in February 2011 when Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Manchester United at home. None of those four defeats have seen the table-topping side play at home.

More evidence that points towards an Arsenal win in this match is their excellent home record against Southampton. The Gunners have never lost a Premier League home match against Saints (W16 D7 L0), the most often that one side has hosted another without losing in the history of the competition.

Overall, Arsenal are unbeaten in 27 successive home games against Southampton in league competition (W19 D8 L0), not losing against them since a 1-0 defeat at Highbury in November 1987. Only against Fulham (30 games currently) have Arsenal ever had a longer unbeaten home streak in the league.

But Southampton did take points off Arsenal in the home meeting earlier this season, drawing 1-1 in October at St Mary's Stadium. They haven't avoided defeat in both Premier League meetings with Arsenal within a season since 2015-16.

We might also see a Premier League first for Arsenal on Friday night. The Gunners have defeated Southampton on each of the other six days of the week in the competition – should they win this encounter then it'll be the first time that they've defeated an opponent on all seven days of the week. 

Team News:

Arsenal:

William Saliba is getting closer to a return by may not be risked just yet. Oleksandr Zinchenko could be back after missing out against West Ham, but Takehiro Tomiyasu and Mohamed Elneny are both out for the season.

Southampton:

Ainsley Maitland-Niles is ineligible against his parent club, while Che Adams, Mohammed Salisu and Mislav Orsic all remain doubts for this one.

Arsenal vs Southampton: Head to Head

Arsenal have an impressive historical record against Southampton and have won 53 out of the 105 matches played between the two teams, as opposed to Southampton's 23 victories.

Arsenal are unbeaten in their 23 matches at home against Southampton in the Premier League - the most any team has managed against another team in the competition.

Southampton held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture and are one of only three teams that remain unbeaten against the Gunners in the Premier League this season.

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 27 matches at home against Southampton in the league - they have a better record in this regard only against Fulham in the competition.

Predicted Line-ups

Arsenal predicted lineup (4-3-3): Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.

Southampton predicted lineup (4-5-1): Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Bella-Kotchap, Perraud; Walcott, Lavia, Ward-Prowse, S. Armstrong, Elyounoussi; Mara.

ARS vs SOU: Fantasy XI

Ramsdale; White,Bella-Kotchap, Gabriel, Lavia, Ward-Prowse, Xhaka; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli, Mara.