Ray Parlour is confident Arsenal can capitalise on Virgil van Dijk’s injury and beat Southampton in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday evening.
The Gunners were 2-1 winners against Burnley last weekend in dramatic fashion after Alexis Sanchez scored a late winner from the penalty spot following Andre Grey’s added-time equaliser from the spot.
Southampton suffered a blow during the 3-0 win against Leicester City after star defender Van Dijk picked up a serious ankle injury which is set to sideline the centre-half for a few weeks.
The Saints managed to dig deep and book their place in the EFL Cup final, though, easing to a 2-0 aggregate win against Liverpool in the last four.
Indeed, Republic of Ireland international Shane Long scored an added-time winner to seal a 1-0 win at Anfield on Wednesday night.
Speaking to the Alan Brazil Up Front podcast, ex-Arsenal midfielder Parlour claimed that Van Dijk’s absence could prove the difference in the fourth-round clash at St Mary’s on Saturday evening.
“I’m going Arsenal with Virgil van Dijk being out. I’m going Arsenal to win. They’re a good cup team,” Parlour said.
Claude Puel is eagerly awaiting the chance to lock horns with managerial mentor Arsene Wenger once more as Arsenal travel to Southampton in the FA Cup.
Wenger coached Puel at AS Monaco between 1987 and 1995, the pair winning the Ligue 1 title in the now-Arsenal manager’s debut season.
In two meetings as Premier League managers so far results have been balanced, Arsenal winning in the league and Southampton knocking the Gunners out of the EFL Cup at the quarter-final stage in November.
On both occasions Southampton proved formidable opponents for Arsenal, with only a last-minute penalty from Santi Cazorla securing all three points for Wenger’s men when the two sides met at the Emirates in September.
When the Saints visited the Emirates in the EFL Cup in November they were even more impressive, Jordy Clasie and Ryan Bertrand securing a comfortable 2-0 win.
“I have a lot of respect for my former trainer,”Puel said. “It’s a pleasure to see him again – for the first game in the EFL Cup it was a good thing for us.
“I imagine he’ll come to Southampton with a strong will to take a good result. All the competition is on the pitch, off the pitch I respect Arsene Wenger a lot.”
Arsenal travel to the south coast without the suspended Granit Xhaka and injured Santi Cazorla but with former Southampton forward Theo Walcott back in the squad after over a month out with a calf injury.
Wenger’s numbers have also been swelled by the returning Danny Welbeck, Kieran Gibbs and Hector Bellerin whilst Puel noted his own sizeable injury list, the second longest in the Premier League.
Arsene Wenger has received a four-game touchline ban from the Football Association.
During added-on time of his side's fixture with Burnley on Sunday afternoon, Wenger was dismissed from the dugout for his reaction to the Clarets being awarded a penalty, before pushing the fourth official as he refused to walk down the tunnel.
Wenger later apologised for his actions but he was soon hit with a misconduct charge from the FA, and it has now been revealed that Wenger will spend four matches in the stands.
It means that Wenger will be absent from the dugout for the games with Southampton, Watford, Chelsea and Hull City, with the Frenchman not due back on the bench until a potential fifth round fixture in the FA Cup.
Wenger has also been handed a fine of £25,000 as a consequence of the incident.
