TEAM NEWS

Southampton keeper Maarten Stekelenburg hopes to be fit after a toe injury.

Manager Ronald Koeman is yet to decide whether to restore the Dutchman to the starting line-up or stick with his deputy, Paulo Gazzaniga.

Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez could be out until mid-January after a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury.

The Gunners have no new injury worries but remain without the likes of Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, Francis Coquelin and Danny Welbeck.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Steve Wilson: "On Christmas Day in 2014, Southampton were fifth in the table, two points better off than Arsenal in sixth. A year on and Arsenal are 15 points ahead of the Saints as they head to St Mary's Stadium, where they last won back in 2003.

"Arsenal's win over Manchester City was a huge psychological boost and makes them the bookies' favourites to overhaul Leicester and win the title.

"Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has described the next fortnight as crucial. They've scored only twice in their last five league games and taken only one point. It's left Koeman glancing nervously over his shoulder at the scrap below."

Twitter: @stevewilson1967 

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman: "It's all about results… Every manager is under pressure. If you sack [Jose] Mourinho, if you sack [Garry] Monk from Swansea - then we know.

"It's all about the philosophy of the club, the chairman, and the board. It's still quiet in Southampton but maybe in one month it can be different.

"I do my job, I do my best for the club and do what I have to do, and nothing else.

"I am of course worried, because it's a bad run."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: "I believe, for us, the most important is to focus on ourselves. We have not to speculate too much on any weakness of Southampton.

"When you look at their team, they have the potential to be a very strong team. We have to convince ourselves that we again need another top-level performance."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

The trip to St Mary's is a tricky match for Arsenal. But if they are going to win the league then they need to win.

Southampton are not looking like scoring, which is always a problem.

Lawro's full prediction v SAM the super-computer

• Think you can do better than Lawro? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round's Premier League fixtures in our Predictor game.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Arsenal have lost just one of their last 11 meetings with Southampton. However, that defeat came in the most recent clash, which Saints won 2-0 at St Mary's on New Year's Day.
• The first-ever league meeting between Arsenal and Southampton came on Boxing Day in 1966, with the Gunners winning 4-0.
• However, Arsenal have failed to win any of the three subsequent meetings on 26 December (D2, L1). Saints won the most recent of those 1-0 in 1989, with Rod Wallace scoring the only goal of the game.

Southampton

• Southampton have lost four of their last five Premier League games, with their only point a draw against bottom-of-the-table Aston Villa.
• Saints have never gone six consecutive league fixtures without a win under Ronald Koeman.
• They have gone five league matches without keeping a clean sheet.
• Southampton have lost just one of their last seven Premier League games on Boxing Day (W3, D3).
• After 17 games last season, Saints were fifth with 29 points. They won on Boxing Day to go fourth. They go into Christmas this year in 12th with 21 points.

Arsenal

• Arsenal have a 100% record so far this December, with three Premier League wins and a victory in the Champions League.
• The Gunners have only ever lost one Premier League match on Boxing Day (W12, D5).
• Five of Arsenal's last six league title wins have come after they were in second place at Christmas.
• No team has conceded fewer than Arsenal's 14 goals in this season's Premier League.
• Petr Cech has 169 Premier League clean sheets and needs one more to set a new record ahead of David James.