Arsenal vs Southampton. Premier League.
Emirates StadiumAttendance59,962.
Saturday 10 September 2016 14:04, UK
Lucas Perez and Shkodran Mustafi could make their Arsenal debuts when Southampton travel to the Emirates in the Premier League on Saturday.
However, Arsene Wenger gave little away in his pre-match press conference.
He said: "[The new signings] have adapted very quickly and very well but the real test is the games. The focus is on quality in the training and we'll see how they get on."
Fraser Forster and Ryan Bertrand are available for selection for Southampton.
The goalkeeper was forced to withdraw from the England squad with an arm injury last week, but Saints manager Claude Puel confirmed he has recovered and is in contention to start this weekend.
Former midfielder Puel - who played under Wenger at Monaco - could also call on defender Bertrand for the first time this season as they go on the hunt for their first Premier League win.
Arsenal could be without Alexis Sanchez as he returned late from international duty with Chile, and a decision will be made in he next 24 hours as the Gunners are also in Champions League action on Tuesday.
Alex Iwobi is back in the squad after recovering from injury, although Aaron Ramsey remains sidelined with a hamstring strain.
Per Mertesacker, Carl Jenkinson and Danny Welbeck are also unavailable, all suffering with knee complaints.
Puel was pleased to report that all of his players had returned from international duty without picking up injuries, but new signing Jeremy Pied is set to miss out for six to nine months with an ACL injury.
The Gunners have won just one of their last six meetings with Southampton in all competitions (D2 L3), 1-0 back in December 2014.
Saints have scored just one goal in four Premier League visits to the Emirates, failing to score in the last three.
Arsenal haven't lost in 21 consecutive home league games against Southampton (W15 D6), last losing back in November 1987 (0-1, thanks to Danny Wallace's goal).
Southampton have kept three consecutive clean sheets against Arsenal, their best ever run against them in all competitions. Indeed, it is as many as they had kept against the Gunners in their previous 32 meetings (all comps).
The Gunners have not lost back-to-back home fixtures in the Premier League since August 2011.
Shane Long scored twice in Southampton's 4-0 win over the Gunners on Boxing Day 2015, his most recent brace in the Premier League.
Mesut Ozil scored in Arsenal's 3-1 win over Watford, but has not scored a league goal at the Emirates since December.
Puel is the fourth French manager to face Wenger in the Premier League, with Gerard Houllier the only manager to beat him (Jean Tigana and Remi Garde were the other two).
Santi Cazorla has been directly involved in three of Arsenal's six league goals this campaign, scoring once and assisting twice.
Southampton also failed to win any of their opening three Premier League games last season, but they went on to secure their best Premier League finish (sixth).
I fancy Arsenal at home on Saturday and I say that because I'm going by what Southampton did at Old Trafford a few weeks ago.
They looked very weak up front and I don't see them causing Arsenal any problems when they attack. It should be a clean sheet for Petr Cech.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (Most popular Super 6 prediction: 2-0)
