While Arsenal can claim they are still in the race for the Premier League title, actually winning it may not be really possible for them again this season.
In the last 12 years of failing to win the league, the FA Cup has provided some sort of solace for them and that could be the scenario again this season but they have a formidable opposition standing in their way.
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The FA Cup has been Arsene Wenger most successful competition, winning it six times. The Gunners makes the inauspicious trip to St Mary stadium for this weekend’s fourth round FA Cup match.
Southampton have become somehow a hard nut for Arsenal to crack as of recent. The Gunners have failed to defeat Southampton in 6 of their last 8 meetings and they have also lost to the Saints in both of their last two cup meetings.
On Wednesday night the Saints pulled off an incredible achievement. Not only did they dump Liverpool out of the EFL Cup, but they also stopped the Premier League’s top scorers from scoring for over 180 minutes.
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Likewise, the Gunners have failed to breach the Saints defence in 4 of their last 5 clashes. These kinds of stats almost suggest that Arsenal are in for a real battle, but Wenger will expect his players to turn up on that day. However, they have been boosted by the return of both Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott to the team.
The FA Cup now represents the only piece of silverware attainable for the Gunners this season and Wenger has also reiterated that he’s taking the tie seriously, stating that the starting line-up will consist majorly first team players with one or two youngsters.
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The FA Cup triumph would also make it his seventh time in winning the trophy, a feat achieved by no other man. Presently, Wenger and former Aston Villa manager George Ramsay have both won it 6 times while Sir Alex Ferguson only won it five. Wenger is aware another trophy-less season would not be justifiable.