Arsenal v Southampton: preview and prediction

Southampton are 'running out of time' in their bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League, says Ruben Selles.

The Saints are bottom of the table, four points from safety, ahead of a meeting with league leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Friday.

Selles took over from Nathan Jones earlier in 2023 and, after initially pulling off a makeshift recovery, has now seen his side winless in their last six games.

"It was desperate from the first second," Selles told reporters. "The only thing is that we are running out of time and the games are getting fewer and fewer.

"We had good performances but we didn't turn them into points and hopefully we can change and then start getting points with good performances.

"If we play our game and put in the performance we need, we have options to win the game.

"We have a good team ahead [of us] but almost every week we have good teams ahead."

Arsenal blew a two-goal lead against West Ham last time out, drawing 2-2, with Manchester City now just four points behind the Gunners with a game less.

Bukayo Saka missed a penalty just before West Ham equalized but Mikel Arteta believes the England international can turn that into a positive.

Arteta said: "That's the way he is and he likes responsibility, but he puts a lot on his shoulders.

"If he had any doubt that people love, respect and admire him at the club, he got a very warm reaction from everyone. In the end it could be something very positive, everyone has acted in an incredible way towards him because he deserves it.

"I'll make sure he takes the next one."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Arsenal – Gabriel Jesus

Gabriel Jesus has scored nine Premier League goals this season - with Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Saka each already scoring 10+, it could be just the second season to see four players reach double the Gunners in the competition, after 2012-13 (Santi Cazorla, Olivier Giroud, Lukas Podolski and Théo Walcott).

Southampton – James Ward-Prowse

Ward-Prowse has scored nine goals in all competitions for Southampton this season and could hit double figures for the second time in his career after his last 11 spells. Six of his nine goals this season have come away, including four in London.

MATCH PREDICTION: ARSENAL VICTORY

Arsenal have never lost in 23 Premier League home games against Southampton (W16 D7), most teams have hosted another without ever losing in the competition.

The Gunners are also unbeaten in their last 27 league home runs against Southampton (W19 D8) - in their league history only against Fulham (current streak of 30) have they had a longer unbeaten home run .

The bottom of the table have won just four of their 38 Premier League games with the league leaders (D6 L28), losing 14 of their 15 away games (D1).

PROBABILITY OF WINNING OPTA

Arsenal – 67.3%

Southampton – 12%

Nil - 20.7%