FA CUP: Champions Arsenal crash out to Southampton - as it happened

FULL-TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 0

The defending FA Cup champions are out after a lacklustre performance at St Mary's. Poor show from Arsenal who were never able to recover from that own-goal and relentless first-half pressure from Southampton. Big questions to answer for Mikel Arteta now. 

SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL

The home side will welcome more of that as Nicolas Pepe stands over a dangerous set-piece at the corner of the area, only to blast it harmlessly over, mopping up a couple of more crucial minutes. Five to go...

SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 0

Hopeful ball for Sothampton goes behind everyone in the Arsenal box and the Gunners press again.

SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 0

N'Lundulu comes on to give Adams a well-earned rest, but Southampton live dangerously again as Nketiah breaks through before the offside flag goes up. Where was this endeavour from Arsenal in the first half? 

SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 0

An equaliser would really hurt Saints now as they have worked so hard. A winner must be found today, so should Arsenal level, we go to extra-time and - possibly - penalties. No replays these days. 

SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 0

Sniff of a chance for Arsenal as they push forward in chance of a leveller. Substitute Partey is denied but Southampton are now defending deeper and deeper.  

SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 0

Bertrand is next to get past the sloppy Arsenal defence. His ball in finds Ward-Prowse but he wastes his chance by missing the target high and wide. The worry for Southampton now is if these missed chances will come back to haunt them - 1-0 is such a precarious scoreline in cup football.

KICK-OFF: SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 0

Back under way at St Mary's. So far it is still Southampton pressing for a second as Ward-Prowse wins a free-kick on the edge of the area before Ings smashes it against the post on a breakaway. The rebound almost goes in off Leno but goes just wide. Dangerous times now for Arsenal. 

HALF-TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 0

The home side well deserving their half-time lead - albeit from a fortunate deflected own-goal. They have taken the game to Arsenal and the defending champs are on the ropes. Let's see what Arteta can do to pep them up at the break. 

SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 0

Arsenal continue to live dangerously as Leno gets the ball robbed from him and Ings and then Adams go close. If only they had a cool, experienced head like Mesut Ozil to come on and sort things out. Oh, that ship has sailed.

SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 0

Alarm bells for Southamton as keeper Forster dithers and gets his clearance charged down by Nketiah, but the deflection goes harmlessly wide. Interstingly, Opta tells me that is four own-goals so far this season for Arsenal, at least this one doesn't count in the Fantasy League.

SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 0

Almost a second for the home side as Ward-Prowse's fires in from distance but the ball goes just wide of the right post. Arsenal all over the place at the back.

GOAL! SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 0

Arsenal pay the price for their slow start as an innocuous low cross from Walker-Peters pings off Gabriel and slips under Leno and in at the far post. Gabriel having a mare so far. Own-goal calamity.

SOUTHAMPTON 0 ARSENAL 0

Chances at both ends as Willian finds Soares for Arsenal, but he blasts over (after an offside flag) and then Southampton surge up the other end and Walcott feeds Adams, who skins Gabriel before Gunners keeper Leno halts his effort.

SOUTHAMPTON 0 ARSENAL 0

Saints by no means over-awed by the visit of the defending champions so far. Bertrand doing well to create the chances and Arsenal yet to get going. 

SOUTHAMPTON 0 ARSENAL 0

Arsenal in their not-so-traditional all blue kit, while Southampton keep up FA Cup traditions with their familiar red and white. Ward-Prowse causes an early scare as his second attempt at a cross bounces off the Arsenal bar...  

SOUTHAMPTON 0 ARSENAL 0

We are up and running at St Mary's. Here are the teams:
Southampton: Forster, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Stephens, Bertrand, Diallo, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Walcott, Ings, Adams.
Arsenal: Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Cedric, Elneny, Xhaka, Pepe, Willian, Martinelli, Nketiah.

SOUTHAMPTON v ARSENAL

Tomorrow we have a tasty fixture list too, with the small matter of a resurgent Manchester United taking on a slumping Liverpool. We will be hoping for a few goals in that one after their disappointing 0-0 draw in the Premier League last week.

"It should be a cracker between the old rivals United and Liverpool tomorrow as they will both see the 0-0 draw as a missed opportunity," says Craig Leader, manager of Crown & Lion, Byblos Barsha Heights."Klopp's guys will be desperate to find the back of the net and who better to be on the receiving end than United?"

Sunday fixtures
Chelsea v Luton Town, 4pm
Fulham v Burnley, 6.30pm
Brentford v Leicester City, 6.30pm
Manchester United v Liverpool, 9pm
Everton v Sheffield Wednesday, Midnight

SOUTHAMPTON v ARSENAL

It’s not just the Premier League big boys in action as a few sides will be eyeing a giant-killing act.
Here is what’s in store later:
Brighton v Blackpool, 7pm
Sheffield United v Plymouth Argyle, 7pm
West Ham United v Doncaster Rovers, 7pm
Swansea City v Nottingham Forest, 7pm
Barnsley v Norwich City, 7pm
Millwall v Bristol City, 7pm
Cheltenham Town v Manchester City, 9.15pm

SOUTHAMPTON v ARSENAL

Welcome to another hectic FA Cup weekend as the remaining teams look to get their name in the hat for the fifth round.

Up first is an all-Premier League corker as Arsenal visit St Mary’s to take on Southampton. The FA Cup could be the realistic chance of silverware for both sides so I expect no mercy given over the next 90 (possibly 120) minutes as Mikel Arteta’s side will be desperate to defend the title they won against Chelsea last autumn.