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SOUTHAMPTON ARSENAL

SOUTHAMPTON boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is all too familiar with deadly Arsenal hitman Pierre-emerick Aubameyang.

Three times in Germany the former RB Leipzig coach was on the wrong end of a strike by then-borussia Dortmund star Aubameyang (right).

No wonder Hasenhuttl (above) is hoping Gunners counterpart Unai Emery might pull one of his selection surprises at St Mary’s today – and leave Aubameyang, who has 10 goals already this season, on the bench.

The Austrian admitted: “I wouldn’t be disappointed about that! As everyone knows, Aubameyang doesn’t need a lot of chances to score.

“When he has a lot of space, with his pace, it’s really hard to defend. We must work hard to close this space. If we do, it will be harder for him.”

Aubameyang’s overall Premier League record for Arsenal is truly spectacular.

In 29 appearances, the club-record £58million buy has been involved in 27 goals, rattling in 20 and creating seven. And Hasenhuttl believes the Gabon forward, 29, is improving under Spanish coach Emery. He added: “This year, with a different shape in Arsenal’s formation, it’s easier for him. He also gets substituted more than the others behind him. That helps him to perform even better.” As for inspiring as swift a change in the fortunes of the Saints – who are without a home win this season – as Emery has managed at Arsenal, unbeaten in 22, Hasenhuttl reckons it’s unlikely. “It wasn’t so quick for Emery because he had a whole summer to prepare his team for his way,” argued the 51-year-old, whose first game ended in a 1-0 defeat at Cardiff. “You work one week playing against the ball, one week on transition in front, one week transition going back, and one week playing without the ball. It’s fantastic. “But we have the busiest time of the season, and a lot of hard fixtures. There’s no alternative at the moment. “We must learn, and learn from our mistakes, to get better day by day.”