Arsenal face defensive crisis for Southampton trip with four centre backs out

Laurent Koscielny is the only recognised centre-back available but has only just returned from a long-term Achilles problem.


Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Shkodran Mustafi are suspended while Rob Holding (knee) and Konstantinos Mavropanos (groin) are injured, with striker Danny Welbeck (ankle) and midfielder Emile Smith Rowe (hip) also sidelined.

Southampton will be without injured defenders Ryan Betrand and Jack Stephens for Sunday's Premier League game with Arsenal.

Left-back Bertrand is recovering from a back problem, while centre-back Stephens has a knee issue.

Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, who takes charge of his first game at St Mary's, is boosted by the return to fitness of strikers Danny Ings (hamstring) and Shane Long (ankle), and right-back Cedric Soares (calf).

Southampton provisional squad: Leno, Cech, Bellerin, Jenkinson, Lichtsteiner, Koscielny, Monreal, Medley, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira, Guendouzi, Ramsey, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Saka, Lacazette, Aubameyang, Nketiah.

Arsenal provisional squad: McCarthy, Gunn, Forster, Soares, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Hoedt, Bednarek, Valery, Targett, Hojbjerg, Davis, Romeu, Lemina, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Elyounoussi, Redmond, Gallagher, Long, Gabbiadini, Austin, Ings. Obafemi.

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