UNAI: THERE’S NO DEFENSIVE CRISIS.. I HAVE MASTER PLAN

UNAI EMERY insists he has a plan up his sleeve to cope with Arsenal’s lack of options in defence.

The Gunners are down to the bare bones at the back for tomorrow’s trip to Southampton.

Rob Holding is out injured for the rest of the season, while Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi are both suspended.

That leaves Laurent Koscielny as Arsenal’s only fit centre-back, and he only made his return after seven months out with a ruptured Achilles, in Thursday night’s Europa League win against Qarabag.

Arsenal’s medical staff will wait to see how Koscielny responds to his first competitive action since May before making a call on whether he can follow it up with another start. Emery’s other senior options include full-backs Nacho Monreal (left) and Stephan Lichtsteiner, who have both filled in at centre-back in the past.

Emery said: “We haven’t got Mustafi, Holding or Sokratis. But I believe in my players and we can use others as centrebacks.

“I have one idea, but we need to work on Friday and Saturday and to know how they will recover physically, for the possibility of playing Sunday.

“I think every player is now OK to help us in the position we need.”

Further forward, Emery expects to be able to call on Mesut Ozil, who also made his comeback after a back problem against Qarabag, and Aaron Ramsey who has missed the

Gunners’ last two games.

He said: “Mesut was good. After his injury he came back with good work against Qarabag.

“With Ramsey, we think yes. The doctor said to me Friday and Saturday he can train and be OK.”

Arsenal will be the first visitors to St Mary’s since Austrian Ralph Hasenhuttl took over at Saints.

Emery added: “They have very good players with quality. It’s a surprise they are in this position.”