Arsene Wenger believes the trick to beating Southampton on Boxing Day is to look at ourselves rather than them.

The Saints currently sit in 12th in the Premier League and aren’t at their best this season. However, in the past we’ve had real trouble playing against them, particularly at St. Mary’s and they’re not to be underestimated.

Considering our history against Southampton, our team is bound to be a little edgy about the fixture but the boss insists this isn’t helpful. Instead, we need to do what we always do and concentrate on playing our game. If we play the best we can, we can beat almost anybody.

“I believe the most important thing is to focus on ourselves rather than them,” Wenger said.

This season, Wenger has been saying this a lot. Instead of looking at teams around us, we need to work on our shortcomings, which is a sensible tactic. While it is important to study opposition players, relying on them to slip up (sometimes literally) instead of focusing on ourselves could ultimately end up being our downfall.