Teams are often accused of time-wasting tactics in an attempt to run down the clock and secure a hard-earned result but Arsene Wenger doesn’t believe that Southampton were time-wasting against Liverpool at the weekend.

This unsportsmanlike conduct occurs more regularly than usual against Arsenal, so it wasn’t much of a surprise that Arsene Wenger was questioned about the issue during the pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Southampton.

29-year-old goalkeeper Fraser Forster has developed an unwanted reputation for being one of the league’s more common culprits and he’ll face Arsenal for the seventh time this evening.

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Southampton’s English defender Jack Stephens (L) embraces Southampton’s English goalkeeper Fraser Forster after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on May 7, 2017. (Picture source: Paul Ellis / Getty Images)

 said, “The main thing is goalkeepers who waste time. I watched the game, it didn’t come up to me that they [Southampton] especially wasted time in that game. Overall, the biggest impact referees can have is on the goalkeepers and maybe punish them with a yellow card.

This isn’t the first time that Wenger has discussed time-wasting.

In March 2012, an article on the club website relayed Wenger’s belief that it was time to review the time-wasting laws in football, especially with relaxed goal-kick rules.

The following month, he blasted Wigan – in particular goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi – for deliberately wasting time throughout the game with his side protecting a 2-1 lead.

You can only hope that referee Jon Moss is vigilant and ensures there will be no time-wasting here.