Southampton star Armel Bella-Kotchap has been capped twice by Germany (Picture: Getty)
Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap has warned Arsenal that the 20th-placed side can produce a shock result at the Emirates on Friday night.
The Gunners are at the top of the table and are looking to return to winning ways after two consecutive 2-2 draws as they chase their first top-flight title in 19 years.
The Saints, meanwhile, are bottom and look destined for relegation to the Championship having won one of their last eight Premier League matches.
Arsenal and Southampton drew 1-1 in the reverse fixture and Bella-Kotchap is hoping his side can remain unbeaten against Mikel Arteta’s team this season.
‘We see that even at the bottom of the league, you can play a team at the top, for example Manchester United… we drew [with] them,’ Bella-Kotchap told Sky Sports.
‘These kind of match-ups can help us turn our confidence and get our confidence back.
‘When we see the results in the past, we can do this. We always believe, even against teams at the top of the league, that we can get a result.’
Former Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere has urged Arteta to rotate for the fixture and is predicting his old club to secure a comfortable victory.
‘After the last two disappointments, I think Mikel Arteta is going to be right on the boys’ cases,’ he told Metro.co.uk.
‘I can see us winning 3-0 or 4-0. When you get so close to an achievement like winning the Premier League, you don’t want to throw it away.
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‘I know Manchester City have more experience but I just feel we are going to see a response from Arsenal against Southampton. It doesn’t matter who plays because they all have something to prove.
‘Somebody like Emile Smith Rowe, he will be hungry to play and show what he is capable of doing because he has been out for most of the season and hasn’t played much.
‘It is the same for Eddie Nketiah. If he gets a chance he will be well up for it, and I see us winning that game very comfortably.’
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The south coast club are bottom of the league…
