Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Southampton from the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal will enter this match off the back of a 3-0 win over BATE Borisov in the Europa League on Thursday night. The Gunners also beat Huddersfield Town in their last league match and currently sit fifth in the table, one point behind fourth-placed Manchester United, who tackle Liverpool this afternoon.

Southampton, meanwhile, currently occupy 18th position in the table, but a point at the Emirates Stadium would move them out of the bottom three. Right, time for the team news.

TEAMS!

ARSENAL: Leno; Lichtsteiner, Sokratis, Mustafi, Kolasinac; Torreira, Xhaka; Mkhitaryan, Ramsey, Iwobi; Lacazette

SOUTHAMPTON: Gunn; Valery, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Stephens, Targett; Hojbjerg, Romeu, Ward-Prowse; Armstrong; Redmond

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is left on the bench for Arsenal, as is Mesut Ozil, with Aaron Ramsey operating in an advanced midfield position. It is a 4-2-3-1 for the home side, while Southampton will line up with a back five. Nathan Redmond is the lone attacker for the Saints, with Stuart Armstrong providing the support. Quite a defensive shape for Southampton then!

KICKOFF:  Arsenal kick things off on home soil...

... not an awful lot to report in the early moments, but Arsenal are certainly dominating the ball as they attempt to work their way through what is a very packed Southampton midfield here.

Iwobi finds a bit of space in a forward position, but there are no takers on the attacker's low cross into the box, with Stephens doing well to clear under pressure from Lacazette.

GOAL!  ARSENAL 1-0 SOUTHAMPTON (LACAZETTE)

Arsenal make the breakthrough in the sixth minute as Lacazette deflects a strike from Mkhitaryan past the Southampton goalkeeper. Perfect start for the home side here.

Moments before Arsenal had taken the lead, Redmond saw a close-range attempt saved by Leno. That is the difference at this level of football. Tough game for Southampton now.

Not much of an atmosphere inside the stadium this afternoon and Southampton just have to stay in the game at this stage. Redmond will be kicking himself for missing that chance.

SAVE!  Really good save from Leno to keep out a powerful strike from Targett!

GOAL!  ARSENAL 2-0 SOUTHAMPTON (MKHITARYAN)

Assist from Iwobi, goal from Mkhitaryan. The Gunners double their advantage as the Armenian international turns a low cross into the back of the net. Disaster for Southampton here.

Southampton are having plenty of good possession in dangerous areas, but they are so open the break, which is strange for a team with five defenders and three sitting midfielders here.

Southampton continue to force the issue in a wide area, with Valery driving forward before delivering, but Mustafi makes the clearance. Good work from the young defender there.

All Southampton at the moment in terms of ball possession, with Arsenal seemingly prepared to allow the visitors to have the ball. Valery has just delivered a dangerous cross towards the far post, but Leno palms it clear. Not too sure delivering high into Redmond is the right choice!

After a fairly frantic start, the pace of the match has dropped as both teams settle. The problem for Southampton is that they are now chasing this game, which is perfect for Arsenal.

Little over 15 minutes of the first period remaining and Arsenal are back on the attack. Lacazette has just had a low strike blocked, before Iwobi's cross was hacked clear by Stephens.

Still goalless at Old Trafford between Manchester United and Liverpool, but the former have had to make two early changes with Herrera and Mata both off injured. Thus far, the goals have been saved from the Emirates Stadium and Arsenal are still launching attacks here.

Arsenal are all over Southampton like a rash at the moment and Iwobi is having a super game in a wide position. The attacker has just been hacked to the ground by Bednarek...

... Torreira flashes his free kick into the box, but Stephens manages to clear his lines.

Little under 10 minutes of the first period remaining and I am finding it hard to believe that Arsenal will not score more goals in this match. Southampton are in a lot of trouble here.

Iwobi has a strike from outside the box, but Vestergaard makes a good block.

Just a reminder that Southampton are still in the relegation zone and that will surely be the case come the end of this match. A point is needed to move themselves out of the bottom three.

CHANCE!  Incredible chance for Lacazette to score his second as the ball falls for the striker inside the Southampton box, but he somehow fires over the crossbar. Incredible!

SAVE!  Super save from Gunn this time to keep out a strike from Lacazette.

Still goalless at Old Trafford, but United have lost Herrera, Mata and Lingard to injuries in the first period, and Rashford is struggling. The Red Devils might not finish with 11 men!

We are into the first of two minutes of additional time here.

HALF TIME:  ARSENAL 2-0 SOUTHAMPTON

So there we have it. The referee brings the first period to a close with Arsenal leading 2-0 courtesy of goals from Lacazette and Mkhitaryan. Southampton have had their moments in the final third, but have been poor at the back and the home side are well on their way here.

STATISTICS! Arsenal dominated the first-half possession with 69%, while they have had 11 attempts, four of which were on target. Southampton, meanwhile, hit the target with two of their three attempts. No yellow cards to report for either side in the opening 45 minutes here.

BENCH WATCH! Southampton boss Hasenhuttl has a number of attacking options on his bench this afternoon, with Austin, Bertrand and Obafemi all available for the Saints. Arsenal, meanwhile, have the likes of Ozil, Aubameyang, Denis Suarez and Guendouzi in reserve on home soil.

KICKOFF:  The referee blows his whistle to signal the start of the second period...

... SOUTHAMPTON SUBS! Austin and Obafemi have replaced Stephens and Armstrong.

Not a surprise to see the double change for Southampton. Redmond has moved into a wide area, leaving Austin and Obafemi through the middle. There will be more space for the hosts now.

Possession football for Arsenal early in the second period. As it stands, the Gunners are going to be moving into fourth spot in the table with United still drawing against Liverpool.

The presence of Obafemi and Austin has at least given Arsenal a problem. The away side just had the chance to deliver through Valery, but Kolasinac was out to squeeze the space.

Good couple of minutes for Southampton as they continue to move the ball in the final third. One goal back for the Saints at this stage would make it a completely different match.

CLOSE!  Ward-Prowse flashes an attempt just wide of the Arsenal post!

Southampton continue to move the ball in the final third and Arsenal have certainly dropped off a touch. Hasenhuttl will be pleased with what he has seen at the start of the second period.

ARSENAL SUB! Lichtsteiner is replaced by Koscielny in Arsenal's first change.

Little over 30 minutes of the second period remaining and Southampton remain the team on the front foot. Nothing much from Arsenal in terms of attacking football at the moment here.

You sense that Emery could look to use Aubameyang in the next few minutes just to liven things up for the home side once again. Arsenal are quite flat at the moment here.

Just a reminder that Arsenal would be moving back into fourth spot in the Premier League as the results stand, with Manchester United still drawing 0-0 at home to Liverpool.

ARSENAL SUB! Ozil replaces Ramsey for the home side.

Mkhitaryan delivers a dangerous low cross into the Southampton box, but the away side manage to clear their lines once again. Arsenal are on the front foot at the moment here.

SOUTHAMPTON SUB! Obafemi only came on at the break, but looks to have picked up a hamstring problem and Elyounoussi comes in for Southampton's third change of the match.

Southampton have now made all three changes, but Arsenal have one more.

Little over 20 minutes of the second period remaining and Arsenal are comfortable without really threatening to score a third, which would certainly be enough to kill this match.

It has not been the best second period to be brutally honest. Arsenal will feel that they did enough in the first half to win the match and that is proving to be the case at the moment.

SHOT!  Hojbjerg sees his strike from distance deflected wide of the Arsenal post.

ARSENAL SUB! Aubameyang replaces Iwobi for the home side.

Little over 10 minutes of the second period remaining and Mustafi has just delivered a cross behind for a goal kick. Still 2-0 Arsenal, which has it been since the 17th minute of this match.

Still goalless at Old Trafford; United just had the ball in the back of the net through a Matip own goal, but Smalling was offside from the cross. Arsenal are heading into fourth as things stand.

Not an awful lot happening at the moment as Arsenal keep the ball without really threatening to score a third. It has not been much of a second 45 minutes to be honest!

Pass, pass, pass from Arsenal as they keep the ball in Southampton's half of the field.

Southampton are seemingly going to remain in the relegation zone ahead of their huge, huge game against Fulham next week. Little under five minutes of normal time remaining here.

Valery breaks into a dangerous position for Southampton before delivering a low cross, but Xhaka makes the clearance and then wins a free kick. Not long left in the capital.

SAVE!  Super save from Gunn to prevent Vestergaard turning into his own net!

SAVE!  Arsenal defend a couple of crosses inside their own box, before Leno is forced to make an excellent save to keep out a strike from Targett, which had plenty of pace.

We are into the first of three minutes of additional time here.

Not an awful lot to report in stoppage time, which can also be said for the second period. Arsenal won this game in the opening 17 minutes, with the visitors unable to respond.

SAVE!  Comfortable save from Gunn to keep out a close-range Aubameyang effort.

FULL TIME:  ARSENAL 2-0 SOUTHAMPTON

So there we have it. The referee brings the second period to a close with Arsenal running out 2-0 winners over Southampton at the Emirates Stadium. Comfortable 90 minutes for the Gunners. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for our live Premier League coverage. Until next time!