Southampton V Arsenal: Fa Cup Quarter-final – Live

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Preamble

Their unfortunate no-show astatine nan League Cup last apart, Arsenal person taken immoderate stopping this season. Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester United required melodramatic precocious goals to champion them successful nan Premier League and … er … that’s it. So connected nan look of thing, this should beryllium a shoo-in for nan starring nine successful England against second-tier opposition. Especially arsenic Arsenal person won 45 of their past 48 FA Cup ties against teams from little divisions; they’ve won 14 of their past 16 quarter-finals; tonight’s opponents Southampton person mislaid each of their past 5 quarter-finals against top-flight opposition; and Arsenal are 4 from 5 against nan Saints successful nan FA Cup, a grounds that includes triumph successful nan 2003 final.

But nothing’s ever that elemental successful nan FA Cup. Arsenal whitethorn person that 80 percent grounds against Southampton successful this competition, but it’s Saints who won nan past meeting, 1-0 successful January 2021. And while Arsenal are this season’s shape squad successful England, Saints aren’t connected a bad rotation either, unbeaten successful 14 games, having won six of their past seven. Fold successful nan truth that Arsenal’s triumph astatine St Mary’s connected nan last time of past play was only their seventh triumph successful 18 visits, astatine a venue wherever they’ve tasted conclusion six times, and abruptly things aren’t rather truthful crystal clear.

You’d still expect nan quadruple- treble-chasing Premier League leaders to prevail tonight; of people you would. But nan FA Cup is fond of nan overseas surprise, and Arsenal person a important travel to Sporting Club coming up successful 3 days’ time, truthful you conscionable ne'er cognize really this will cookware out. The communicative originates astatine 8pm BST. It’s on!