Usually you would look at this game as a free hit or similar, but the situation is too critical for that, every game is one that we have to take points from, we have no room for leeway, trouble is we have injuries and all the chickens have come home to roost.

We can moan all we want about the manager's selections and plenty of people are doing that of late, but the reality is that few of our squad are demanding that they be picked by putting in man of the match performances.

The latest outcry is about playing Tall Paul Onauchu, but the problem is that he doesn't suit our style of play, back in January we were preparing a panic end to the season under Nathan Jones which involved slinging the ball long and banging it into the box.

But this isn't our game and it was folly to even think it was, ultimately the sacking of Ralph Hasenhuttl and the appointment of Nathan Jones was the pivotal moment of this season, unless we mount the great escape.

We go into the final games with no experienced leader and more to the point Ruben Selles has no real experience in his coaching staff to help him in a situation he has never experienced before, not just a relegation battle or the Premier League, but actually being a manager full stop.

So what do we do at Arsenal ? the truth is I think no one knows and that is the problem, truth is I expect Tall Paul to start the game, if only for the fact that it is the one option that Selles has rarely tried.

The real strange thing though is at a time when Selles is missing his only striker that appears able to score or hold the ball up, that he drops the only other one with a decent track record in scoring, Adam Armstrong might not be everyone's first choice but he has work rate and energy and Premier League experience but he hasn't even been on the bench in the past two games.

One change that will happen is that with Ainsley Maitland-Niles unable to play against his old club Romain Perraud will return at right back, that is unless Selles intends to bring back Tino Livramento after only 45 minutes of football in the B team, it wouldn't surprise me, but personally I would save him for Thursday night against Bournemouth.

So it is anyones guess what happens at the Emirates tonight, but most people will be guessing that with top hosting bottom there will only be one result.

But perhaps we can cause a shock, Arsenal have suddenly started getting nervous, they have drawn their last two games, at Liverpool and then at West Ham and now find Manchester City only 4 points behind with a game in hand and more worryingly they travel to the Etihad on Wednesday evening.

In short City are coming up on the rails and Arsenal know they have to win tonight, for them perhaps even more than Saints it is a must win game, they drop a point and by this time next week they could find themselves knocked off the top after leading for so long and as we know it is the team coming in off the rails that doesn't feel the pressure so much.

So perhaps the one hope for Saints is they can take advantage of jitters in the Arsenal camp, like we did against Chelsea in Ruben Selles first game, play without fear and start to make not only our players believe, but our supporters too and more to the point the 4 teams above us.

We pulled off a result at St Mary's against the Gunners through sheer determination, can we do it again.

At the moment we are fighting a losing battle, but we have to keep fighting until the end, there will be plenty of time for recriminations, sarcastic songs and moaning about where it all went wrong after the season has ended, in the meantime we have to try and keep going and hope that we might just get those couple of wins that suddenly mean we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Photo: Action Images

Block8 added 10:29 - Apr 21 Nick it's pretty obvious that our game doesn't suit our team, otherwise we might have a few more points? Selles is panicking in his team selections as he is really unsure of what is (a) his best starting eleven & (b) any other form of play apart from the unsuccessful 4-2-2-2. Ironically we have been trying to play in a similar style to Arsenal & City with the slow patient build up & a false nine but our transition from midfield forward is dreadful & some of our pass and move play is simply woeful. The one thing certain to me is that we have far better players than we are showing, therefore perhaps it's the team set-up and style letting us down.

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Ifonly added 10:36 - Apr 21 "I expect Tall Paul to start the game" Good luck with that! I'd be totally shocked if Tall Paul started. It would require Selles to throw out his "identity" which there has been no sign of him doing. He has one way of playing the game and that's it. On the approach to this game, Selles said what I would expect him to say, which was "we are going to try to be ourselves, to press them and we're going to try to win the ball as high as possible." No surprises there and no room for Tall Paul in that approach. I expect more of the same from Saints. My prediction: we will expend a lot of effort in pressing in the early stages. This might keep us in the game for a while but we will eventually tire and fall back. Once Arsenal score, heads will drop and the game will be over. Tall Paul will come on towards the end but we will fail to make use of his abilities.

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Farlow added 11:33 - Apr 21 How you can believe A Armstrong should start baffles me,he,s just not good enough. It is obvoius to me the board have already accepted relegation or this clown would not be in charge.Surely Orsic must be given a go and Djeneppo.I used to chuckle at all the abuse Macarthy got in this collumn but the truth is Bazunu is no better.
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SaintPaulVW added 12:09 - Apr 21 I think whatever side we all put together it involves some leaps of faith. To my eyes only KWP, JWP, Lavia, Charly and when fit Che have regularly performed at PL level this season. The rest just haven't performed consistently Bazunu, Mara, AMN, ABK, Salisu, Sulemana or for whatever reason not been given much opportunity eg Stu A, Djenepo, Perraud, Orsic, DCC. So it's all guess work as to which other 6 or 7 players might actually do the job they are paid for in any particular week, which is frankly why we are where we are.

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davenbennett added 13:40 - Apr 21 The 4 2 2 2 high pressing games has not worked for 2 years. Play Big Paul with 2 wingers off him. If that means 'slinging' in long balls to him, great. It can't be any worse than the slow tippy tappy crap being served up now.
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JoeEgg added 14:40 - Apr 21 "But perhaps we can cause a shock, Arsenal have suddenly started getting nervous" Totally agree - we could only lose 3-0, instead of the more obvious 6-0.
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halftimeorange added 16:24 - Apr 21 As things stand avoiding the drop is exceedingly doubtful. Avoiding wholesale embarrassment is possibly achievable. Avoiding watching this game is recommended especially for those of a weak disposition.
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Block8 added 19:03 - Apr 21 halftimeorange 😂😂😂
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