Full-back Carl Jenkinson feels Arsenal’s defence are laying down the building blocks which can see them sustain a push for some long-overdue silverware.

The Premier League leaders moved into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a comfortable 4-0 win over Sky Bet League 1 side Coventry at the Emirates on Friday night.

But there is little time for Arsene Wenger's squad to rest on their laurels as the quest to stay ahead of Manchester City and Chelsea continues at Saints tomorrow.

Since shipping six at City on December 14, Arsenal's defence has been breached just twice - with the Gunners registering half-a-dozen clean sheets from those eight matches.

Much of that has been down to a settled back four and the growing central partnership between Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker.

The Gunners will arrive at St Mary’s tomorrow with the best defensive record in the top flight - just 19 goals shipped in 22 games.

Saints have the joint fourth best record, with 25 goals conceded.

Take away the 6-3 loss at Manchester City - the team with the best goalscoring record in the country – and Arsenal have only conceded seven goals in 10 away league games.

Jenkinson - drafted in for Bacary Sagna against Coventry - is confident the current group can take their place alongside some of Wenger's other famous rearguards.

“I have seen a lot of talk about how brilliant the two centre-halves have been and the full-backs have done well also, while both (keepers) Wojciech (Szczesny) and Lukasz (Fabianski) have been superb when they play,” Jenkinson said.

“The defence has been very good this season and it is important going forwards that we have a strong defence. If you look at successful Arsenal sides of the past, they have all been built on a strong back four and a good goalkeeper.

“It is important we have that as a building block.”