Arsene Wenger has urged Arsenal to “put things right” when they take on Saints this evening.

Wenger is still smarting from the 4-0 Boxing Day loss his side suffered at St Mary’s the last time the sides met.

Arsenal are well placed to make a bid for the Premier League title but know they need to be collecting points at home.

Saints travel to the Emirates Stadium on great form, but Wenger insists his side should have a point to prove.

He said: “They gave us a tough game last time and we have to put that right.

“It is a very important time in the season as we go into big, big games and have 13 matches to go.

"They were dominant in the challenges and the duels. We just came out of a very tough game at Man City, and maybe didn’t have the urgency to cope with that. We were a bit unlucky with three goals on the decisions of the referee as well.

"The message [this time] is that we play at home and we want to put things right and put a strong performance in because the strength we show at home now in the remaining games can be decisive.

"The defeat against Chelsea was very unlucky, because our performance was right - it was not a Southampton performance.

"Our performance, our energy level, our commitment and the quality of what we did was very good. It is an encouragement. Sometimes you have to raise a little bit above the result and keep the positives. In that game there were a lot of positives.”

Arsenal will be without midfielder Tomas Rosicky for tonight’s game.

The experienced Czech Republic international only returned from a knee problem ahead of Saturday's FA Cup victory over Burnley but suffered a thigh problem during the game and will again spend a spell on the sidelines.

Alexis Sanchez is pushing for his first start since a hamstring issue in November while Mohamed Elneny is still waiting for his Premier League debut having made his bow in the cup win. Francis Coquelin, Danny Welbeck and Santi Cazorla (all knee) and Jack Wilshere (leg) are out.