Arsenal are already out on the pitch waiting for their opponents. Aubameyang is all smiles but the team look more focused than they have done in the previous two games.

Here come Southampton…

Ten minutes until kick off. It’s blisteringly hot tonight so the players will be pleased with the two mandatory water breaks, but who is going to take this one?

Southampton vs Arsenal kicks off at 6pm.

Matteo Guendouzi is not in the 20-man Arsenal squad this evening. When asked if this was a reaction to the Brighton match, when Guendouzi clashed with Neal Maupay, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta said: 

“Squad management. Whatever internal issue we have we deal with it privately.” He added that: “The needs of the team and the needs of the football club are always the same. Put the best players on the pitch that are 100% focused on winning the game.”

Arteta also gave an insight into his management style and how he is dealing with Arsenal’s poor run of form saying: 

Ralph Hasenhuttl believes his team can defeat Arsenal today telling Sky Sports: 

“We’re not focusing so much on the 40 [points] we’re focusing on the three today. This is the goal we have, we know they are a strong opponent. We had a good start and we want ot continue that with a good game against Arsenal.

“I think it will be an intense game especially with this temperature today. I think the fitter team will win.”

Can the Saints add to Arsenal’s misery by defeating the Gunners tonight? 

Southampton vs Arsenal is a standard mid-table game at the end of the season with nothing really on the line but pride. The Saints are ten points clear of the relegation zone so they’re pretty safe for now with the Gunners 11 points away from a Champions League spot, which at this point is a distant, distant dream. 

Mikel Arteta agrees and his focus is on getting Arsenal back to winning ways. He said: “Until we start to win games, the Champions League objective is too far at the moment,

David Luiz’s 20 or so minute cameo against Manchester City, in which he was to blame for two goals before being sent off, was seen as the end of his career in an Arsenal shirt.

But, surprisingly, the Gunners have offered the 33-year-old a one-year extension. But why? Miguel Delaney breaks down the main challenges for Mikel Arteta as he looks to rebuild a broken Arsenal:

Hector Bellerin announced this great project just before the Premier League restarted, a week and two Arsenal games later no trees have yet been planted.

Will the first 3,000 be secured tonight? Only Southampton stand in the way. 

Team news

Southampton tore apart Norwich in their last match scoring three top quality goals in their 3-0 victory. As such Ralph Hasenhuttl names an unchanged team for Arsenal’s visit.

The Gunners make four changes after they suffered their second consecutive defeat since the restart as they lost to Brighton last time out. 

Emiliano Martinez starts in goal as Bernd Leno is injured. Granit Xhaka returns to the starting XI after returning from an ankle injury with Eddie Nketiah and Kieran Tierney back in the starting line up as well.

We’ll head now to St. Mary’s Stadium where Southampton welcome Arsenal at 6pm. Here’s a look at the teams:

Frank Lampard was asked about Raheem Sterling’s comments about the opportunities given to certain managers over others and though Lampard was quick to praise Sterling’s activism he disagreed on some points saying: 

I think in the actual case of managers, I think he got it, from my point of view, slightly wrong, because it felt like a very casual comparison.”

He added: 

I’ll level that out slightly, because I want to say that Raheem Sterling as a player and as a person and what he’s stood up for over the last two years, I think has been fantastic.”

It’s been 326 days since Jurgen Klopp’s men started their 2019/20 Premier League campaign which means they’ve already had to wait longer than usual to lift the trophy. Could tonight be the night they gat their hands on it?

Quite possibly if Chelsea have anything to say about it. The Blues are battling for a Champions League place and with just one point separating them from fifth placed Manchester United they’ll want to take three points off Man City and create a touch of breathing room.

Should that happen Liverpool will cement the championship tonight, and fans will have to make do with celebrating at home, while a trophy parade is also be on hold until it is deemed safe to go ahead with it.

If Man City do win this evening, their next game is against Liverpool and it was announced today that this top-of-the-table clash will take place as planned at the Etihad Stadium with the Premier League title potentially on the line:

There are six teams in action across three Premier League games this evening. Watford travel to Burnley as Southampton welcome Arsenal. Kick off for these two games is at 6pm followed by the big one.

Chelsea host Manchester City in a match that could decide where the Premier League title ends up. If Man City fail to win tonight, Liverpool will be crowned champions.