As the League Cup quarterfinals roll on, it’s time to get to what might be the most interesting matchup of the round: Arsenal hosting Southampton. While not exactly a traditional marquee matchup, there’s enough on the line and enough potential intriguing matchups on the pitch to make this a game well worth watching, and exactly the kind of match that can surprise its way to being one well worth remembering.
Arsenal vs. Southampton 2016: Start time, live stream, TV schedule, and 3 things to know for EFL Cup
Arsenal have a chance to avenge a painful League Cup loss from two years ago as they host a Southampton side that hopes magic can strike twice.
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
After all, these same two teams had a dramatic classic of a game in the League Cup two years ago, and at the time no one really expected it to be all that fun of a match. Southampton have a different manager now, though, and Claude Puel hasn’t quite caught the same magic that Ronald Koeman had at the time. But with Puel and Southampton coming off a big win over Koeman and his new Everton team this past weekend, maybe it’s time for Puel to find some magic of his own, and another big Cup win over Arsenal would be a good way to do just that.
Online: beIN Sports Connect (U.S.)
Match Date/Time: Wednesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, 7:45 p.m. local
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London, England
Three big things to know
- Both teams are coming off important wins to start bouncing back from rocky three-match stretches, looking much improved considering the issues each team had of late. That gives this match a little bit of extra meaning on top of what it normally would’ve had, with both teams hoping to actually get something established and moving in the right direction after fans spent weeks asking questions.
- Of course, those same recent issues make this match a tricky one for either team to over-commit to. Issues with injuries, fatigue and form mean that neither team will want to rely too heavily on their usual starters — with a rare mid-week rest seeming like an awfully good idea for their players right now. That could turn this match into a test of depth, something that theoretically favors Arsenal with their deeper resources. Either way, it could give some rarely-used players a chance to step up and force their way into a bigger role.
- One interesting thing to keep in mind as you watch this match is that success in the League Cup means a lot more to Southampton than it does to Arsenal — but pushing for that success is also a much bigger risk for the Saints than it is for their opponents. Doing well in the Cup, or even winning it, would be a big step for a team of Southampton’s stature, but given their struggles in the EPL this season they may not have the resources in terms of team depth to put the focus on it they would need to get that far. If they did put their focus on the Cup, Southampton could very easily start slipping further and further down the league table, which is something that only their rivals would want to see.
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