Arsenal host a high-flying Southampton tonight, aiming to secure a Wembley return and maintain their historic treble pursuit.
The Gunners reached the quarter-finals after professional wins over Portsmouth, Wigan and Mansfield. Arteta, however, oversaw a difficult international break, with several players withdrawing due to fitness issues.
Despite that disruption, a clinical performance tonight would see the North London side reach the semi-finals for the 31st time. They have progressed from 14 of their last 16 FA Cup quarter-finals — a pedigree they will look to draw on once again.
Arsenal team news
Arteta heads into the tie managing a significant attacking injury crisis. Noni Madueke is unavailable after suffering a knee injury during England duty, paving the way for 16-year-old Max Dowman to start on the right wing once more.
The teenager already made history as the club’s youngest FA Cup starter in the previous round, and another impressive display tonight would further cement his growing reputation.
Meanwhile, Martin Ødegaard and Jurriën Timber have both returned to training and should feature in the matchday squad — a timely boost for the hosts. Eberechi Eze and Piero Hincapié, however, remain firmly ruled out.
Kepa Arrizabalaga is expected to start in goal despite his recent Carabao Cup final error. In defence, Riccardo Calafiori and William Saliba are likely to feature, while Christian Nørgaard and Myles Lewis-Skelly provide fresh legs in midfield as Arteta rests several international stars.
Further forward, Gabriel Martinelli leads the competition with five goal involvements from the third round onwards and will be central to Arsenal’s hopes of forcing their way through tonight.
Arsenal predicted lineup
Arsenal Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Nørgaard, Lewis-Skelly; Dowman, Havertz, Martinelli; Jesus
When will the match kick off?
The FA Cup quarter-final tie at St Mary’s Stadium will kick off this Saturday, 4 April, at 20:00 BST.
How to watch Southampton vs Arsenal?
UK viewers can watch the match live on BBC One and TNT Sports 1. Digital streaming is available via BBC iPlayer and the discovery+ app.
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