KEY EVENTSALL
16'Good play by Tadic, as the Serbian is faced up by Bellerin and tricks his way past the young Spaniard. He digs a cross out and it goes over everyone, before being recovered by Long. The move quickly ends, though, as Arsenal get back in numbers and snuff things out.
14'A promising situation ends in disappointment for the visitors, as they pen Arsenal in their own area and knock it around with intent. Eventually Mane is found on the left and he cuts in to good effect. He then chips a pass towards the back post for the run of Soares, but his effort is overhit and goes out for a goal kick.
12'ARSENAL DENIED! Sanchez is given so much space on the halfway line and picks out a lofted pass beyond the defence for Ozil. The German produces a fine first touch to bring it down and then quickly gets a shot away, but Forster did well to get in the way.
10'Again, that corner delivery was just too close to Cech, who makes no fuss over claiming it out of the air.
9'Bertrand and Tadic look to keep possession to themselves in an advanced position on the left. They have plenty of company, but in the end the left-back manages to win a corner from Flamini.
8'Southampton are certainly giving this a good go at the moment. The visitors work it well up the right and Soares manages to find the unmarked Wanyama, whose low drive into the area is blocked in the nick of time by Gabriel.
7'Good football from the hosts. Ramsey moves out from midfield and plays a forward pass into the feet of Giroud, whose first-time flick finds Campbell to his left. The Costa Rican heads it back into the patch of the Frenchman, looking to taken Van Dijk out of the equation, but the Dutchman manages to get in the way.
5'Another decent delivery from Ward-Prowse, but this time his corner goes straight into the hands of Cech, who calmly plucks it out of the air. The hosts survive.
4'Wicked delivery! Ward-Prowse bends a fine delivery into the danger zone Van Dijk can't quite reach it, meaning it sails all the way through to Cech, who is forced to palm it around the post for a corner at the last second.
3'Some good early pressure for the visitors here and a clever turn by Tadic on the left sees the Serbian fouled by Bellerin, who was a little too close to him. Ward-Prowse and Bertrand head over to the dead ball.
1'Off we go! Southampton get us underway.
The players are out on the pitch as we approach kick-off.
Pacesetters Leicester City host Liverpool today in a match which will certainly test them. Nevertheless, should they slip up against Jurgen Klopp's men, Arsenal will be desperate to make the most of that and the best way to make sure of that will be by claiming all three points. The Gunners haven't won any of their last three in the top flight - that run needs to end today.
There will be three players on the Arsenal bench itching to get on today, with Calum Chambers, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all coming up against their former team. Hopefully for Arsenal's sake, though, they - and everyone else in the Gunners' squad - should have their eyes on a bigger prize today; ensuring they remain at least within touching distance of league leaders Leicester City. The title race rumbles on, but today certainly represents a decent opportunity to claw away at that three-point gap.
There aren't too many shocks in the Saints starting XI, with their goalkeeper and back four effectively picking themselves. Oriol Romeu gets the nod in the centre alongside Victor Wanyama ahead of Jordy Clasie, while Dusan Tadic, Shane Long and Sadio Mane make up the front three. The Irishman will be looking to capitalise on Charlie Austin's absence, with the former QPR man out with a knock. Ronald Koeman has revealed he should be fit to face West Ham United at the weekend, though.
No doubt Arsenal fans will have rejoiced upon seeing news of Arsene Wenger's team selection today, with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil starting in the league for the first time this year.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
LIVE: ARSENAL 0-0 SOUTHAMPTON
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