Gunners look understrength as Saints unchanged

Arsenal looked amazingly threadbare for their Premiership clash with Southampton with Dennis Bergkamp, Jose Antonio Reyes and Cesc Fabregas starting suspensions and Edu and Sol Campbell on the injured list.

Manager Arsene Wenger also dropped right back Lauren and had striker Jeremie Aliadiere on the bench for the first time since being injured in the first game of the season.

But here was a chance for the champions to move above second-placed Manchester United – who face Portsmouth this evening – by beating an unchanged Saints outfit.

Harry Redknapp’s men were looking for a win to climb out of the bottom three for the first time since November.