Arsenal (19-4-14) and Southampton (2-29-6) will face off today at 11:00 a.m. EDT at St. Mary's Stadium in Southampton, Hampshire.
Arsenal is favored at a -350 price, with the over/under set at 3.5 (+110o / -144u) goals.
Let's get into my Arsenal vs. Southampton prediction.
Arsenal vs. Southampton Odds, Prediction
| Arsenal Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -135 | 3.5 +110o / -144u | -350 |
| Southampton Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 3.5 +110o / -144u | +837 |
- Arsenal vs. Southampton spread: Arsenal -1.5 (-135), Southampton +1.5 (-110)
- Arsenal vs. Southampton over/under: 3.5 (+110o / -144u)
- Arsenal vs. Southampton moneyline: Arsenal -350, Southampton +837
- Arsenal vs. Southampton best bet:Under 3.5 Goals
Arsenal Preview
It's hard to imagine, but for most Arsenal fans, this second-place finishing, Champions League semifinal-making season was a disappointment. For the Gunners, a team so heavily touted to finally make it all the way, another season of near misses isn't enough.
Still, Mikel Arteta's side did seal their ticket to next season's UEFA Champions League last Sunday, scraping a 1-o win against UCL hopefuls Newcastle United. It proved enough to bid farewell to the fans snapping a three-game league winless streak. Still, it may have left more questions than answers in the minds of the North London faithful, as an injured Declan Rice was all that kept Arteta's men from potentially losing the runners-up medal.
Away from home and with nothing left to play for, expect Arsenal to rotate the team heavily. William Saliba (hamstring), Jurrien Timber (ankle), Gabriel Jesus (ACL), Gabriel Magalhaes (hamstring) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) are all out of contention. At the same time, Rice and Leandro Trossard should be rested after injury scares.
Southampton Preview
It's not much better for the Saints' fans, who were gifted with some of the worst soccer to grace English Premier League venues this last season.
If Arsenal wins, it'll be a league-record 30 defeats for a Southampton side that secured on May 10 the point they needed to avoid the "worst ever league campaign" tag, still firmly in the hands of the 2007–08 Derby County squad.
Still, Simon Rusk and his players will surely be eager to give their fans a parting present as they take to the pitch at St. Mary's as a Premier League side for the last time until at least 2026.
Youngster Taylor Harwood-Bellis is the only player confirmed out, with Jan Bednarek and Kyle Walker-Peters in doubt.
Arsenal vs. Southampton Pick
Games where neither team has much to gain are always hard to measure. If Arsenal had even the slightest objective to aim for here — second-place, last home game, even a silly record to break — I'd vouch for them, but unless Arteta is dead set on bolstering their numbers, I don't see them going out with the knife between their teeth.
This will most likely be a great opportunity to give minutes to youngsters and bench-warmers, and if they save their colleagues one last embarrassment at home, all the better.
Unless a rotation player fails to get the memo or is eager to show what they can do with an eye to a move away from the Emirates next season, I doubt we'll see much action or goals.
Arsenal vs. Southampton Pick: Under 3.5 Goals
