Southampton vs Arsenal: team news & stats

[Anonymous]

Arsenal have won only one of their last seven Premier League games at Southampton going into the Boxing Day encounter at St Mary¡¯s.

Team news

Southampton boss Ronald Koeman is hopeful Maarten Stekelenburg will be fit to return from a toe injury that saw him miss the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham last weekend.
Saints otherwise have no injury concerns and can select from the same squad that took on Spurs.

Arsenal, meanwhile, will not be able to welcome back any of their injured players.

Alexis Sanchez has suffered a setback in his return from a hamstring injury and is not now expected to return until the new year. Jack Wilshere (leg) and Mikel Arteta (calf) are not far away from comebacks, but Francis Coquelin, Danny Welbeck, Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky (all knee) are longer-term absentees.

Kick-off at St Mary¡¯s is at 7.45pm.

Opta stats

*.Southampton will be looking to win successive league meetings against Arsenal for the first time since April 1988 after beating the Gunners 2-0 back in January.

*.That was Saints¡¯ only win overArsenal in the last 11 Premier League games between the two, with the Gunners winning six.

*.However, the Gunners have won just one of their last six away league trips to Southampton (W1 D3 L2).

*.Southampton have lost just one of their last seven PremierLeague games played on Boxing Day (W3 D3 L1).

*.Arsenal have only ever lost one Premier League match on Boxing Day (W12 D5 L1).

*.Southampton have picked up just one point in their last five Premier League matches (D1 L4).

*.Arsenal have won the most Premier League points away from home in 2015 so far (38).

*.Saints have never failed to winfor six consecutive Premier League games under Ronald Koeman, last doing so in December 2013 under Mauricio Pochettino.

*.Olivier Giroud has scored in five of Arsenal¡¯s last six Premier League away matches.

*.Mesut Ozil now has 15 goal assists in the 2015-16 PremierLeague ¨C only five players have ever managed more in a single Premier League season.

Source:  http://www.teamtalk.com/news/southampton-v-arsenal-team-news-stats

[Anonymous]

Ozil assist stat is mind-blowing. To think he was considered dispensable this time last year. Patience.

[Author]

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