Arsenal vs Southampton preview: Storylines, odds, prediction with Gunners heavily favoured

All is well at the Emirates thus far this season. Arsenal are level on points with Manchester City and just a point behind league leaders Liverpool.

They showed great character to defeat Leicester last weekend, having initially squandered a two-goal lead, before an impressive 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain during the week which suggested Mikel Arteta’s side are capable of taking on Europe’s elite and emerging triumphant. It genuinely feels as though Arsenal’s time may have well and truly arrived.

Things are not looking quite as bright for Southampton. The Saints are without a victory in 19 Premier League matches and an Arsenal win here would mean levelling their longest ever winless run in the top flight, an unfortunate record set way back in 1969. It might have been different had Cameron Archer converted his penalty against Manchester United a few weeks ago but Andre Onana guessed the right way. Archer could have given the Saints the lead. Instead, United ended up winning 3-0 away from home. When you are suffering more misfortune than Erik ten Hag’s team in 2024 then things really do look bleak and it’s little wonder Southampton have just a single point from their first six league games.

Arsenal may have to do without the services of Jurrien Timber after he was substituted during the interval against PSG with a muscle issue. Mikel Merino could make his domestic debut for the hosts but Ben White is likely to remain sidelined with a knee injury.

Southampton will be without captain Jack Stephens and he has only himself to blame. Having been correctly shown a red card in that loss to United, he proceeded to berate the officials and has been banned for a further two matches.

Southampton have not won away at Arsenal since November 1987 with Arsenal winning 19 and drawing nine in that period. Indeed, no side in Premier League history has a worse record away to another than Southampton at Arsenal. The visitors are in desperate need of points if they want to avoid going straight back down but it’s hard to imagine they’ll pick up any here.

Arsenal vs Southampton odds

Odds from BetFair and update live.

Venue: Emirates Stadium — London
Time: 3 p.m. BST (10 a.m. ET), Saturday

Form guide (league only)

Arsenal: 4-2-0, 14 points (3rd) | Last five: W-D-W-D-W
Southampton: 0-1-5, 1 point (19th) | Last five: L-D-L-L-L

Match prediction

Arsenal 4-0 Southampton

This is the absolute dream fixture for an Arsenal side riding high after an excellent start to the season. They should go into the international break with a comfortable win and very little chance of having to exert themselves to the maximum. A thrashing may well be on the cards.