As fortnight's go it's been a pretty damaging one for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal. Every week at this stage of the season feels more important than the last but this weekend's clash with Southampton does feel like it carries that extra bit of weight.
Following the trip to St. Mary's the Gunners have a horrible run of fixtures that sees them face Chelsea, Manchester United, West Ham and Tottenham in the space of five matches. Win on Saturday and you feel their slim top hopes are still alive, but anything less and it seems nigh on impossible to drag anything from the flames.
As a result it's going to be essential that Arteta gets his team selection right for the trip to the South Coast. Going into this back end of the season Arsenal were always taking a risk with such a slim squad, but with key players unlikely to be available against Saints, it does feel as though Arteta is managing slightly with his hands behind his back.
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"Yes, in the moment it’s not ideal and we knew that towards the end of the season one of the key elements was going to be having the team available and squad available as much as possible, and we have quite a few issues with (Partey, Tierney) and Tomiyasu as well, but we need to continue to compete and work in the best possible way," he said of his side's lack of fortune when it comes to fitness in his pre-match press conference.
He does at least have Aaron Ramsdale and his first choice centre back pairing of Gabriel and Ben White to call on, even if none of them necessarily had their best games against Brighton. Cedric, meanwhile, continues to impress at right back and will have to continue with Takehiro Tomiyasu still out injured.
It is over on the left side of defence where probably the most controversial pick will come. For most observers last week Granit Xhaka at left back was a disaster, but from his pre-match press conference it didn't seem as though Arteta necessarily saw it the same way. "You can discuss whether Granit can play there, just look at the stats when the team has played with Granit as a left-back," the Spaniard said. "They don't get much better than that."
Last week Arteta's press conference comments did seem to be a bit of a red herring, but if we are to believe what he says, it would seem that Xhaka is going to be starting in the defence yet again. Nuno Tavares will most likely be on the bench and will surely be left to question his future at the club.
Moving Xhaka into defence means much of the midfield essentially picks itself. Albert Sambi Lokonga is the next in line given Thomas Partey 's injury, while Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard were the picks in the eight roles last season. Unless Arteta decides to throw Mohamed Elneny in for more balance, it's safe to assume the trio in the middle won't change.
Bukayo Saka is a dead cert to start on the right wing, while Smith Rowe being in midfield means that Gabriel Martinelli will probably get the nod over Nicolas Pepe on the left.
The final big decision in the team is of course up front. Arteta was unwilling to disclose why Alexandre Lacazette was absent from training earlier this week, but revealed that he's hopeful the Frenchman may be available still. "We will see if he’s available," the Spaniard said. "It’s a good possibility that that’s the case."
Given that things are not certain though, Arteta may be given a chance to try someone new up top. Lacazette as a nine has not been working for some time now, and perhaps Eddie Nketiah may be a welcome change. The 22-year-old has his issues and is far from perfect, but he has looked OK in cameos when Arsenal have been chasing the game. A lack of full fitness for Lacazette would allow Arteta to drop him with minimal fuss or speculation, and this might be just the time to try something new.
Arsenal predicted XI vs Southampton - Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Gabriel, Xhaka; Sambi Lokonga, Smith Rowe, Odegaard; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli.
