With Southampton into the EFL Cup Final to be played at Wembley next month and seemingly safe from the drop due to the ineptitude of the clubs at the bottom, it was a little surprising to see such a young side thrown onto the pitch at St. Mary’s against Arsenal on Saturday.
Claude Puel, though, must feel some pressure to see his side back up higher in the Premier League, and as such has not made the FA Cup a priority. That much was obvious as he played a very young side. Two of the players weren’t even included on the match program, in fact.
The young Saints took a 0-5 beating from the Gunners as Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck ran rampant on a side that had looked so stern and resilient against Liverpool on Wednesday night. It’s no surprise, though, given all of the changes.
Saints now will have one eye on Wembley and a win over Manchester United as they look to build to the point.
