Arsenal return to action after the international break with an FA Cup clash against Southampton.
The Gunners need to put the heartbreak of the Carabao Cup final defeat against Manchester City behind them, and making it into the semi-finals of the other cup competition would be the perfect way to do that.
Everyone feels that Arsenal have got an easy draw against Southampton because they are in the Championship, but Paul Merson disagrees.
The pundit feels it will be a tight game between the two sides, but he still thinks the North Londoners will come out on top.
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Paul Merson predicts the result of Southampton vs Arsenal FA Cup clash
Arsenal are the favourites to beat Southampton, but it is by no means a foregone conclusion.
The Saints may not be a Premier League club anymore, but they are on an incredible run despite playing in the lower division.
Southampton haven’t lost a single one of their last 14 games, and at the St Mary’s, they are capable of causing an upset.
To add to that, Arsenal have 12 players either injured or are doubts for the game, which could mean Mikel Arteta has to field a weakened side.
For those reasons, Merson believes it will be a tough game for the Gunners.
He wrote on Sportskeeda: “It’s a difficult game for Arsenal because a lot of their players have returned from their national team squads with fitness issues. They could be forced to field a patched-up line-up against Southampton in the FA Cup on Saturday.
The way Southampton are playing, I expect them to give Arsenal a strong challenge. They have been decent at home, and although Arsenal are favourites, I still believe this game is a tricky banana skin fixture.
“After having lost the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City, imagine Arsenal being forced to field a weakened team here and then losing this game. All of a sudden, you have serious pressure on you when you face Sporting because just 45 bad minutes in that game will force you to be up against it right away!
“So, this is a humongous game and week ahead for Arsenal. They face Bournemouth in the league next weekend, which is not exactly a ‘give-me’ fixture at this point in the season. Arsenal need a win in this game to get them back on track. I expect them to get it even though it’s still a tough contest.”
Merson’s prediction: Southampton 1-2 Arsenal
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Arsenal’s recent away record against Southampton is worrying
The St Mary’s Stadium has always been a difficult place to go for Arsenal.
Since the Saints achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2012, the two sides have met on the south coast on 14 occasions.
Arsenal have only won five of those fixtures, which is a terrible record considering the size and ambitions of the two clubs.
Even in the last FA Cup meeting between Arsenal and Southampton at the St Mary’s, the Gunners lost 1-0 and crashed out of the competition.
Arteta will know all about the difficulty, and we’re sure the Arsenal manager will make all the players aware of the situation before the game.
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