Arsenal vs Southampton predicted XI: Don’t be nervous

Front Three

Remember that whole “play your best players” bit? Well, for the most part it’s the easiest to do that up here, where we have two of the best strikers in the world, even if they aren’t playing like it. Alexandre Lacazette is particularly starved of confidence, which also just means he needs more time to play alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and that should continue here.

While Aubameyang obviously prefers to play up front, he’s going to be pushed out to the left. If that doesn’t work out, I can see Unai Emery hooking one of them early in the second half in favor of Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli. But again, if you don’t play your best players, you will always leave room for questions.

Lastly, Nicolas Pepe will get his spot back. I love the idea of getting the young guys in there, like Saka and Martinelli, but with Emery fighting for his life and Pepe having cost so much money, he’s going to need to see results at some point, and this is as good a time as any to get back to business.

All in all, we have four elite attackers all playing in the same attack against the worst defense in the league. It’s hard to imagine a tastier prospective. Now it’s just a matter of execution.