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Arsenal will make a late decision on the fitness of defenders Jurrien Timber, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Oleksandr Zinchenko may return after the international break, while Martin Odegaard also remains sidelined but fit-again summer signing Mikel Merino is available for his Premier League debut. Southampton defender Jack Stephens has completed a three-match ban for his sending off against Manchester United last month but has been suspended for a further two games after abusing match officials following his dismissal. The trip to north London comes too soon for Will Smallbone and Kamaldeen Sulemana, while Gavin Bazunu is a long-term absentee. Head-to-head Arsenal are unbeaten in 28 home league games against Southampton since a 1-0 defeat at Highbury in November 1987, when Danny Wallace scored the only goal (W19, D9). Saints have failed to win any of their 24 Premier League matches away to Arsenal (D8, L16). It's the most one side has visited another without winning at least once in the competition’s history. However, the Gunners are winless in the past three meetings (D2, L1). Arsenal Arsenal are vying to become the second team to record 400 Premier League home wins, emulating Manchester United (428). The Londoners have not lost any of their past 12 league fixtures (W10, D2), one shy of their longest undefeated run under Mikel Arteta, set between September 2022 and January 2023. The Gunners are unbeaten in 40 home league matches against newly-promoted sides (W35, D5), winning each of the last 11. Their last such defeat came versus Newcastle in 2010. Arsenal have scored 26 Premier League goals from set-pieces (excluding penalties) since the start of last season, four more than any other side. They have kept 17 clean sheets in 32 games in all competitions in 2024, the most of any Premier League side. Kai Havertz is vying to become the second player to net in seven consecutive appearances at the Emirates in all competitions, emulating Robin van Persie between December 2011 and March 2012. David Raya is set to make his 50th Arsenal appearance. Southampton Saints are without a victory in 19 Premier League matches (D5, L14), one shy of their longest winless run in the top flight, set between August and December 1969. One point from six games equals their worst start to a league campaign, set in 1998-99 when they nonetheless avoided relegation from the Premier League. They have lost six consecutive top-flight away games since their 3-3 draw at Arsenal on 21 April 2023. Their last Premier League away win came at Chelsea on 18 February 2023. Southampton’s shot conversion rate of 4. 4% is the lowest in the Premier League this season, while they have underperformed their expected goals total by 4. 7 – only Manchester United (5. 6) have a larger negative difference. Ben Brereton Diaz is winless in all 20 of his Premier League appearances, a record for most matches played without ever winning in the division. Last Updated 1st October 2024 at 21: 01 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Premier League All competitions All competitions All competitions Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 28 home league games against Southampton (W19 D9) since a 1-0 loss in November 1987. Only against Fulham (a current run of 31) have they had a longer unbeaten home run in their league history. Southampton’s 24 Premier League away games against Arsenal is the most one side has visited another without ever winning in the competition’s history (D8 L16). Arsenal are winless in their last three Premier League meetings with Southampton (D2 L1), drawing both games the last time the side’s faced in 2022-23. Southampton have lost 82 of their 139 Premier League away games against London sides (59%), the highest loss rate of any of the 12 sides to have played 100+ away games in the capital. Indeed, only Everton (91) and Newcastle (89) have lost more overall than Saints. Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 40 Premier League home games against promoted sides (W35 D5) since a 1-0 loss to Newcastle in November 2010. Only Chelsea (43 between 2001 and 2015) and Manchester City (41 between 2007 and 2020) have had longer such runs in the competition’s history. Southampton are winless in their last 19 Premier League games (D5 L14). Only once in their top-flight history have they had a longer run without a win, going 20 games between August and December 1969. Arsenal have won 399 home games in the Premier League, and would be the second side to reach 400 in the competition after Manchester United (428). Meanwhile, only four sides have lost more away games in the Premier League than Southampton (246). Southampton have underperformed their x G by almost five goals this season (7. 7 x G, 3 goals), with only Manchester United having a poorer record in the Premier League so far (10. 6 x G, 5 goals). Saints also have the lowest shot conversion rate in the competition this term (4. 4%). Kai Havertz has scored six goals in his last six Premier League home games for Arsenal, scoring in each of his last four at the Emirates. The last player to score in five straight home league games for the Gunners was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in September 2019. Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale could become the ninth goalkeeper to play against Arsenal in the Premier League having previously played for them in the competition. The only one of the previous eight to keep a clean sheet in his first such match against the Gunners is Emiliano Martínez, in a 3-0 win at the Emirates with Aston Villa in November 2020. © 2024 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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