Southampton boss Claude Puel: ‘Arsene Wenger told me to win League Cup’

Arsenal were dumped out of the EFL Cup, after they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Southampton at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening.

As we all know Arsene Wenger was “disappointed” last night, as were all Arsenal fans especially the ones that booed the players off the pitch!

The hapless Gunners didn’t have a single shot on goal during the first half and were second best throughout the 90 minutes when it came to endeavour, industry and guile. “I think we were not good enough defensively and gave cheap goals away”, Wenger was quoted as saying by the Guardian on Thursday.

“We didn’t have enough urgency in the first half and were weak in some departments”.

“We paid for that. We’ve only got three more games now so I’m really looking forward to playing Southampton at home”.

“It’s a balance between good results and to continue this work with Southampton and to develop different players and to give also game time for players without time in the Premier League”. But look at the names of the players who were on the pitch tonight. The problem wasn’t there.

Asked how he would feel if the Gunners were to win the Premier League this season, he added: “I’d be happy for them [if Arsenal won the title]. It’s January so now we forget this semi-final, but hopefully we can reach the final”, the manager concluded, whose club last listed the cup in 2010 when they beat Aston Villa.

They will take on Liverpool in the semi-final, while Manchester United and Hull City will face each other in the other semi-final of the EFL Cup.

ARSENAL: Martinez, Jenkinson (Maitland-Niles, 64 mins), Gabriel, Holding, Gibbs, Coquelin, Elneny (Xhaka, 43 mins), Reine-Adelaide (Oxlade-Chamberlain, 62 mins), Ramsey, Iwobi, Lucas Perez.

Davis, who played in that shocker last season, believes Saints can take inspiration from that goalless draw between the sides last month.

Ashley Fletcher, the pre-season signing from Manchester United, started against his old club on Wednesday however and his goal will have boosted the 21-year-old’s chances of keeping the shirt. We have many very good players.

After a very nervy start to the game, the visitors settled first and showed some attacking intent through Sofiane Boufal around the 10 minute mark, but to no avail.