Confirmed Arsenal and Southampton line-ups: Arteta makes four changes

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Mikel Arteta will be desperate to end Arsenal’s consecutive run of Premier League defeats with a win over Southampton on Thursday evening, as the Gunners travel down south – and here are the confirmed line-ups.

Arsenal suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in their first game back just over a week ago, before a disappointing 2-1 loss to Brighton on Saturday afternoon. Pablo Mari and Granit Xhaka have picked up injuries.

Arteta will have to do it the hard way, though. Six senior players are out through injury – in Bernd Leno, Gabriel Martinelli, Lucas Torreira, Calum Chambers, Cedric Soares and Pablo Mari.

David Luiz is serving the second match of a two-game suspension following his red card against Manchester City during the 3-0 loss. However, some good news for Arsenal fans, is that Sokratis and Granit Xhaka are training.

Whereas this is Arsenal’s third game back, Southampton are preparing for just their second – though they smashed Norwich City 3-0 last Friday. Shane Long is back after a calf injury, but Moussa Djenepo is still suspended.

Arteta has made four changes. In come Emi Martinez for the injured Leno, Kieran Tierney, Xhaka and Eddie Nketiah – with Sead Kolasinac, Matteo Guendouzi and Alexandre Lacazette dropped. While Ralph Hasenhuttl has named an unchanged side.

Arsenal: Emi Martinez; Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding, Shkodran Mustafi, Kieran Tierney; Granit Xhaka, Dani Ceballos; Nicolas Pepe, Bukayo Saka, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Eddie Nketiah.

Southampton: Alex McCarthy; Yan Valery, Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens, Ryan Bertrand; Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, James Ward-Prowse; Nathan Redmond, Stuart Armstrong, Michael Obafemi; Danny Ings.

https://twitter.com/SouthamptonFC/status/1276183415000379392