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Mikel Arteta's decision to rotate his Arsenal side in an FA Cup defeat at Southampton “really baffles” Ray Parlour, with the manager told that a sixth-place finish is now the best his side can hope for from 2020-21.

The Gunners headed to St Mary’s on Saturday with impressive cup pedigree behind them and with a memorable run to the title last season still fresh in the memory.

They were, however, to surrender their grip on that trophy with little resistance, with the Saints good value for a 1-0 win on home soil.

Arteta rotated his squad on the south coast, and another disjointed display from the Gunners means another route to silverware has been shut off.

Parlour is puzzled as to why the defence of a prestigious prize was not more of a priority for Arteta, with winning a useful habit to develop for a side that has shown signs of life over recent weeks.

The former Gunners winger told talkSPORT: “You have to put out a strong side.

“You know Southampton are in good form, they’re an excellent side this season and they were always going to put out a strong side, and I expected that from Arsenal.

“There’s nothing like winning games of football, so carry that on, put your strongest team out!

“I know they’re looking at the league, but the FA Cup is very important, it certainly was in my era, when I played under Arsene Wenger he put a strong side out in most cup games.

“But Arteta rested a lot of players today. I would have played my best team, get in front, and then rotate your players in the second half. First and foremost, you have to make sure you win the game.

“It really baffles me. Clubs in mid-table, teams that can’t win the title but aren’t going to be relegated, why do they rest players in the cup? I just don’t get it!

“It’s the FA Cup, the best tournament in the world, but now Arsenal are out, so they have to concentrate on the league.”

Arsenal are still in Europa League contention this season, having reached the last 32, but Parlour believes there is little left for them to play for in what has been a frustrating campaign.

He added: “I don’t think they can finish in the top four.

“There are too many better teams in front of them at the moment – Man Utd are flying, Man City are getting better and better, Liverpool are going to be there.

“I think the best position they can get to is sixth, probably, so the FA Cup was always very important this season and I’m very surprised with the team.”

Youcef Atal powered Nice to a 1-0 win over Lens with his second-half strike in Saturday's Ligue 1 encounter.

The Algeria international found the back of the net in the 49th minute for his maiden strike in the 2020-21 league season and his first league goal since September 2019 when he scored the winner in Nice's 2-1 victory over Dijon.

Shortly after he broke the deadlock at Lens, Atal was replaced by Jordan Lotomba as he appeared to have picked up an injury while celebrating his goal.

Injury problems have limited the 24-year-old to 10 league outings in this campaign having recently recovered from a thigh muscle strain and coronavirus infection.

Nice held on to victory which ended their five-game winless streak in the French top-flight with their last league win dating back to December 16 when they defeated Nimes 2-0.

Atal's compatriot Hichem Boudaoui was also in action for Adrian Ursea's side alongside the Gambia's Hassane Kamara who played from start to finish.

Lens, on the other hand, had a host of African stars on parade including Cape Verde's Steven Fortes, DR Congo's Gael Kakuta, Cameroon's Ignatius Ganago,  Mali's Cheick Doucoure and Ivory Coast's Seko Fofana.

Nice rose to 13th in the Ligue 1 table following the victory with 26 points from 20 matches while Lens dropped to seventh with 31 points from 21 games.

The Eagles host Saint-Etienne for their next league outing at the Allianz Riviera on January 31.

Ronald Koeman has said Barcelona need to dip into the transfer market if they are to improve, but is not confident of being given the funds to strengthen his squad.

Barcelona are lagging behind Atletico Madrid in La Liga following a slow start to the campaign. They have improved in recent weeks and are on a run of three wins on the spin in the league.

Those victories over Huesca, Athletic Bilbao and Granada cannot gloss over the fact that Koeman’s squad are lacking strength in depth which is likely to hit them hard in the race for La Liga and the Champions League.

Koeman has made his position clear, but feels financial issues will prevent him adding to his ranks.

"My position is known: we lack people, but the economic situation of the club is an influence," Koeman said. "I think we all think the same. If no one arrives, I accept it and we continue the same, but if we want more we must sign."

Koeman thought he had a deal tied up to bring in central defender Eric Garcia from Manchester City, with Goal revealing personal terms had been agreed, but presidential candidate Joan Laporta said the club’s board had elected not to spend money on a player who will be available on a free transfer in the summer.

“We cannot demand that the Management Board make decisions like this,” Laporta said of a possible move for Garcia. “We have concluded that if he is a player whose contract is ending, we must wait. 

“If we moved now we would have to pay the transfer fee plus the player's salary.”

Koeman’s focus has to be on working with what he has at his disposal for the remainder of the season, and he has said he will continue to speak his mind if he feels they are not performing.

"I am not going to lie. I say what I see," the former Netherlands coach said. "If you are a Barca player, you have to be demanding.

"I criticise them with respect. I'm not going for anyone, I want to help them, but if we play against Cornella with all due respect and we are not able to win in 90 minutes, I have to say what I see.

"If not, bring in another coach."

Just a day after he pleaded for forgiveness, Simba SC have fined their midfielder Jonas Mkude and asked him to report to training with immediate effect.

The Taifa Stars defender was suspended by the club on December 28, 2020, though the Wekundu wa Msimbazi did not give the reason behind their decision.

The club has now come out to reveal some of the reasons why they banned the player indefinitely, fined him Tsh200, 000 and ordered him to report to training.

In a statement seen by Goal, Simba’s disciplinary committee which was chaired by Suleiman Kova found the player, who also features for the national team Taifa Stars, culpable for three offences.

The first offence was his decision to skip the club’s seminar which was held to discuss the team’s targets for the season, his second mistake reporting late to training ahead of their Mainland Premier League match against Coastal Union with his third mistake being failure to report to camp on December 26, 2020, without permission.

“The committee, therefore, has ordered the player to report to camp with immediate effect so as to continue training with the rest of the squad members’ failure to which he will face more disciplinary action,” read the statement.

The statement continued: “Mkude will also have to pay the fine in a period of one month and he has also been asked to apologise for his mistakes in writing in the next 24 hours.”

On Friday, Mkude took to his social media pages to ask for forgiveness from the club and the fans.

“I would like to plead with Simba to forgive me for my mistakes,” Mkude said in a recorded video posted to his social media pages. “We are all born to make mistakes and it does not mean I will repeat the same mistake again.

“I am a Simba player by blood, I love playing for Simba and Simba is part of my life. I am now hoping that my fellow teammates, the technical bench, club leaders, and all the members of the club will forgive me.”

Before his suspension, Mkude was one of the undisputable first-teamer in all competitions that Simba had engaged in, and the midfielder was also serving the Tanzania national side in the same capacity.

His services became even more important when Brazilian star Gerson Fraga suffered a long-term injury. 

Clarke Oduor’s Barnsley needed a goal from Callum Styles to see off Norwich City and book a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Styles won the man of the match award as his effort powered the Reds to the fifth round for the first time in eight years. Oduor’s side will now face either Premier League side Chelsea or Luton who are yet to play their fixture.

Barnsley were dominant as Norwich struggled after manager Daniel Farke made five changes to the team that previously played against Bristol City.

Cauley Woodrow and Romal Palmer were the first to ask Norwich stopper Tim Krul questions with low drives in the early moment of the first half. Again, in the 23rd minute, Krul had to be alert as he saved a header from Michal Helik after a short corner was initiated by the hosts.

A good combination between Dominik Frieser and Alex Mowatt saw Callum Brittain being sent through on goal but his cross could not be connected by Styles. The English forward saw his second attempt being stopped after he had collected a pass from Brittain.

Norwich registered their first attempt on goal in the 38th minute when Alex Aarons struck fiercely from 30 yards but the ball flew narrowly over the bar.

Oduor’s side broke the deadlock in the 56th minute when Styles connected to a cross from Brittain and fired a low strike into the bottom corner.

The changes which saw Oliver Skipp and Emi Buendi introduced saw Norwich become lively but in the end, they were unable to get a goal as a result of their resurgence.

The Harambee Star did not feature at all as he continues to find playtime hard to come by even in the league’s assignments.

Barnsley XI: Collins (GK), Sibbick (Sollbauer, 64), Helik, Andersen, Brittain, Palmer (Kane, 46), Mowatt, Styles, Frieser (Schmidt, 79), Woodrow (Miller, 79), Adeboyejo (Chaplin, 57).

Unused subs: Walton, Sollbauer, Moon, Omar, Oduor.

Norwich XI: Krul, Aarons, Hanley (c), Gibson, Sorensen, Tettey (Skipp, 63), Rupp (Vrancić, 77), Hernandez (Buendia, 64), Dowell (Martin, 77), Placheta, Hugill (Omotoye, 65).

Unused subs: Barden, Mumba, Omobamidele.

A Manchester United title triumph and summer transfer for Paul Pogba would be “a win-win” situation at Old Trafford, says Paul Parker, with a World Cup winner putting himself back in the shop window.

An exit for the France international has been mooted for some time, with questions asked of his form, fitness and future throughout a second stint in English football.

Mino Raiola has claimed that an imminent move for one of his most high-profile clients is on the cards, with an £89 million ($122m) asset being edged towards the exits.

Pogba’s performances heading into 2020-21 had been making it difficult for suitors to justify splashing out on him, but a spark has been rediscovered by the 26-year-old of late.

Match-winning displays are being contributed to a cause that has United back in the hunt for a Premier League title.

Exit talk has started to fade when it comes to a divisive figure, but Pogba’s contract is only due to run until 2022.

Big decisions will have to be taken in the next window, and Parker believes the Red Devils should cash in if they bring an eight-year wait for domestic dominance to a close this season.

The former United defender has told Eurosport: “Paul Pogba's recent performances have been reminiscent of the player from Juventus: he is respectful, humble and is not looking for excuses.

“Suddenly he has become a team player again. He’s earning the right to play.

“However, let's reserve judgement as we have been here before – Pogba needs to be consistently excellent; great players don’t play well the odd game, they have consistency.

“However, this week, at least, Pogba has been - alongside Bruno Fernandes - United's best player.

“If the season was over three games then great. It’s quite interesting that his level has spiked as United start to challenge at the top.

“If he wants to leave, there’s no better place to showcase yourself than playing for a team that’s competing to win a league title.

“It is a win-win if Manchester United finish as champions and Pogba gets a move.

“In fact, he might have thought, ‘I need to change my attitude. If the team are playing well and challenging for the title and I’m not involved, then what good am I?’.

“Would clubs have spent money on Pogba the way things were going before Christmas?”

Pogba has netted decisive goals in victories over Burnley and Fulham over recent weeks, with his efforts – that have come alongside playmaking talisman Fernandes – helping Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side to cement a standing at the top of the Premier League table.

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt has made it clear he won't tolerate any sort of ill-discipline from his players.

With Chiefs' transfer ban as well as a series of injuries and illnesses leaving Hunt with limited options this season, the Amakhosi tactician has given a lot of action to some of the younger members of the squad.

Nkosingiphile Ngcobo has arguably been the pick of the bunch while the likes of Njabulo Blom, Darrel Matsheke, Happy Mashiane and Siyabonga Ngezana have also impressed.

Being in the spotlight by playing for the biggest club in the land can cause any player, especially a younger one, to lose focus and to let the fame go to his head.

When asked if this is ever a concern to him, Hunt made it clear where he stands on the matter.

"This club has had too many of those players," he told the media after Amakhosi's 0-0 draw against Stellenbosch FC at the Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday evening.

"We don't want those players, if I'm here they won't be here," Hunt added. "We've had too many players like that so we have got to keep their feet on the ground and work hard.

"We've had a few players here over the years which have caused some problems and they won't be here if I'm here, that's for sure."

The Soweto giants do indeed have a bit of a history with players who were sublimely talented, but who in varying degrees let themselves and at times the club down with a lack of discipline off the field.

Among former Amakhosi bad boys are the likes of Jabu Pule (now Mahlangu), Thabiso Skapie Malatsi, Junior Khanye and the late Emmanuel Scara Ngobese.

There is however no suggestion that any of the current crop of Chiefs youngsters lack focus or discipline.

Central midfielder Ngcobo has played in 12 of the Glamour Boys’ 13 league matches and has weighed in with three goals which make him the team’s highest scorer.

Mashiane has only recently been given an extended run and he has responded very positively with two goals in five appearances and has impressed out on the left-wing.

Matsheke has put in some solid performances in the engine room of late while Blom’s versatility has come in handy for Hunt, as has Ngezana’s – he’s done well since moving from his accustomed position of centre-back to plug the gap at right-back following Reeve Frosler’s injury.

Joe Aribo scored a goal as Rangers stretched their unbeaten Premiership run to 25 games with a 5-0 win over Ross County on Saturday.

After Sunday's 1-1 draw against Motherwell, Steven Gerrard's side bounced back to winning ways with an emphatic result at the Ibrox Stadium.

Ryan Kent opened the scoring for the hosts in the sixth minute and Filip Helander made it 2-0 before Aribo grabbed the Gers' third goal in the 37th minute.

The Nigeria international has now scored five goals in 18 league appearances so far in this campaign.

Later in the second half, Ryan Jack and Connor Goldson completed the rout for Gerrard's men with their goals in the 66th and 81st minutes respectively.

Aribo saw 62 minutes of action before he was replaced by Cedric Itten while South Africa midfielder Bongani Zungu started on the bench and was introduced for Glen Kamara in the 61st minute.

Since his loan signing from Amiens in October, Zungu is yet to make a league start but he has made 10 substitute appearances in the Scottish top-flight.

Nigeria defender Leon Balogun was rested and he watched on as an unused substitute as Rangers kept a clean sheet.

Saturday's result extended the Gers' dominance at the summit of the Premiership table to 69 points after 25 matches, with a 23-point gap above second-placed Celtic who have three games in hand.

Next up for Rangers is a league trip to Hibernian on Wednesday before they face Cove Rangers in the Scottish FA Cup third round.

Liverpool will wait until the summer before looking to add another centre-half to their ranks, says Dominic Matteo, with Jurgen Klopp expected to make do for now despite nursing his squad through an injury crisis.

Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez remain unavailable to the Reds boss, as they continue their respective recoveries from knee injuries, but Joel Matip has stepped off the treatment table and back into the side.

With that in mind, and Fabinho providing reliable cover in the other centre-half berth, Matteo is not convinced that the reigning Premier League champions will add before the next deadline passes.

Jurgen Klopp is weighing up his options, with plenty suggesting that he does need to spend as a title defence starts to unravel, but it remains to be seen if the required funds will be made available.

It may be that the Anfield board decide to keep the purse strings tightened until the next window, when Liverpool will be in a better position to address recruitment needs across the board.

Former Reds defender Matteo has told Stadium Astro of the transfer talk on Merseyside: “It’s a difficult window.

“We have got some good young players, they are just not quite ready yet. That’s the reason they haven’t had more opportunities, and they probably haven’t got the quality that we need to be seeing week in, week out.

“I think it’s area they will have looked at and thought can we do some business? I don’t think they will. I think they will stick with what they have.

“Matip and Fabinho will be fine playing centre-half, it’s just if they got another injury now and they had to play one of the young lads or [Jordan] Henderson back in there again, then we will struggle.

“I don’t think we will try and sign another centre-half until next season.”

Klopp has claimed that recruitment calls on Merseyside remain out of his hands, despite continuing to scour the market.

He needs to find inspiration from somewhere, starting in an FA Cup fourth-round clash with Manchester United on Sunday, as the Reds have gone five games without a Premier League win and failed to find the target in four of those fixtures.

AmaZulu FC recorded their third win of the season in the PSL when they overcame Baroka FC 2-0 at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. 

The deadlock was broken by Bonginkosi Ntuli, who marked his return to the starting line-up with a goal. 

Sibusiso Mabiliso delivered a great cross for Ntuli, who headed home to make it 1-0 to AmaZulu in the 20th minute.

Lehlohonolo Majoro's shot then hit the woodwork, before Ntuli forced Baroka goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze into a good save as AmaZulu looked to double their lead.

Baroka managed to contain coach Benni McCarthy's side and AmaZulu were leading 1-0 during the half-time break.

Baroka coach Thoka Matsimela introduced attacking midfielder Kgodiso Monama after the restart as the home side looked to level matters. 

However, it was the visitors' substitute Siphelele Magubane, who scored when he netted from Siyethemba Sithebe's cross in the 87th minute to seal AmaZulu's 2-0 win over Baroka on the night.

McCarthy's maiden win as Usuthu coach took the team to eighth place on the league standings, while Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele slipped down to 10th spot.

Meanwhile, Chippa United registered their second win of the season when they thrashed Black Leopards 3-0 at Thohoyandou Stadium in Limpopo. 

The visitors opened the scoring through Andile Mbenyane, who beat Leopards goalkeeper Jonas Mendes with a left-footed finish to make it 1-0 to Chippa in the 20th minute. 

The Chilli Boys pushed for more goals and they managed to double their lead in the 43rd minute through Maloisane Mokhele to make it 2-0 heading into the half-time break. 

Things went from bad to worse for Lidoda Duvha as Edwin Gyimah was shown a straight red card five minutes into the second-half and Leopards were reduced to 10 players.

Kurt Lentjies sealed Chippa's 3-0 win over Leopards when he scored in the 79th minute and it was his second goal in as many matches. 

Chippa, who are now undefeated in their last three matches, moved up to 11th place on the standings, while Leopards remained 15th on the log.

Paul Merson has questioned Mikel Arteta’s selection call in a 1-0 FA Cup defeat at Southampton, with holders Arsenal bowing out of that competition with a whimper to leave them with little to play for in 2020-21.

The Gunners are still in the hunt for Europa League glory this season, having booked a last-32 date with Benfica, but have been struggling for the kind of form that suggests they can go all the way.

Continental action does, however, offer their only route to major silverware, with another potential avenue of success being blocked off at St Mary’s.

Arteta, who guided his side to FA Cup glory a matter of months after taking the reins at Emirates Stadium, opted to shuffle his pack for a meeting with the Saints.

Rotation came back to haunt him, as Gabriel Magalhaes put though his own net on the south coast, and the oldest prize in English football will be passed on in 2021.

Merson is baffled as to why the Gunners opted to mix things up in an inconsistent campaign, with a top-four finish seemingly out of reach in the Premier League for the north London outfit.

He feels cup glory should have been a top priority, with the former Arsenal midfielder telling Sky Sports: “I don’t know what [Arteta's] doing.

“They aren’t going to win the league. They aren’t going to get in the top four of the Premier League, unless they went on one of the best runs in the history of the Premier League.

“For me, this is the one. This is the one that made Arteta last time round. He came to Arsenal and had a great semi-final and a great final. I honestly can’t believe it.

“This is a more important game than the midweek league game, in my opinion.

“They are not getting relegated and they are not getting in the top four, so for me you don’t really want to end up just getting sixth again and then you are playing Thursday in the Europa – I think that just sends them back. For me, it was a bad decision.”

Arsenal are due to face Southampton again on Tuesday, with Arteta’s side – who have taken 13 points from their last five games – currently sitting tenth in the table, seven points adrift of the Champions League spots.

Lionel Messi is presenting Barcelona with a penalty poser, with Ronald Koeman admitting that he needs another reliable option from 12 yards after seeing seven spot-kicks spurned this season.

Failings from 12 yards almost cost the Blaugrana dear in their last outing, as two opportunities were passed up before edging out Cornella 2-0 in the Copa del Rey.

Barca did go to a shootout in a Super Cup semi-final clash against Real Sociedad, with Koeman’s men just about holding their nerve in that contest to prevail 3-2.

A fluffing of lines has, however, become an all too common occurrence this season, with Messi, Ousmane Dembele, Martin Braithwaite, Antoine Griezmann and Miralem Pjanic all failing from the spot.

Talismanic captain Messi has converted five of his six efforts, making him the go-to option for the Liga heavyweights, but he has been handed regular rests in 2020-21.

Koeman concedes that he has issues to address there, with the Dutchman telling reporters ahead of a meeting with Elche on Sunday that his skipper will miss through suspension: “If we look at the penalties, we've taken 12 this season and missed seven if we include the Supercopa shootout. That's a lot, too much.

“If Lionel Messi isn't there, who is our number one taker, then we need someone else to take them.

“We can't accept the situation, something must change.

“We'll decide [Sunday's penalty taker] in the pre-match talk. We'll pick two players, but the final decision will be in the hands of the captain.”

Barca let one potential penalty-taking option slip their net in the summer of 2020, with prolific Uruguayan frontman Luis Suarez allowed to leave Camp Nou for Atletico Madrid.

The South American has been thriving in the Spanish capital, helping Diego Simeone’s side to the top of the table, but Koeman maintains that he has no regrets at letting La Liga’s joint-top scorer move on – with the 33-year-old hitting a match-winning double on his last outing against Eibar.

He said after being quizzed on Suarez once again: “I don't like to answer these questions.

“He's a great player, but we took the decision that we took. If you ask me every time he scores...”

A Ugandan national has been arrested in Kisumu after he allegedly tried to fix an FKF Premier League game involving Western Stima and KCB, scheduled to be played at Moi Stadium on Sunday.

The suspect was cornered in a Kisumu Hotel by the police who were accompanied by the Powermen's chairman Laban Jobita. 

"Some of my players approached me saying there are some individuals who want us to fix the game," Jobita told Goal on Saturday.

"So I told my players to play along, but ensure they have recorded whatever was happening. I also told my team manager to ensure he has called me so that I follow up on the conversation in secrecy."

The administrator has further explained how the alleged fixer was caught in a trap.

"I heard everything that was going on in the room and how he wanted to make a down-payment of Ksh70,000," Jobita continued.

"He had promised to pay Ksh600,000 once the deal goes through as planned. It is at this point that we stormed the hotel and the man was arrested. He is currently remanded at Kisumu Central Police Station.

"My players have agreed to testify against him once he is arraigned."

Jobita has further hinted the vice might be taking place in the Kenyan top tier.

"The suspect told us he has several people who are working with him and not only in Kenya, but abroad as well. Even some referees are in this," he continued.

"I have been suspecting there is something that is wrong somewhere. For instance, in our 5-2 loss to Tusker, we conceded four penalties. It was unusual; how can one game produce four penalties? 

"I even called the league managers and complained about the same, and narrated my fears. I am just happy my players decided to collaborate with me to stop the vice from happening."

Efforts to reach the Kisumu Police for clarification on the matter bore no fruits.

Two seasons ago, former Kakamega Homeboyz coach Paul Nkata was accused of fixing, alongside former players George Mandela, Moses Chikati, Festus Okiring and Festo Omukoto.

The tactician was found not guilty, however, the players were found guilty and all were banned for four years from any football-related activity apart from Mandela, who was banned for five years.

Manchester United are planning on sanctioning a loan switch for Facundo Pellistri, the Uruguayan’s agent has claimed.

The Red Devils bought into the 19-year-old’s potential during the summer transfer window of 2020.

A €10 million (£9m/$12m) deal was done with Penarol, with an exciting winger making his way to Old Trafford.

Big things are expected of Pellistri in England, but he remains one for the future at United.

The Red Devils hope to see a path trodden to their first team, but are aware that the ongoing development of a hot prospect is going to require regular game time.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in no position to offer those opportunities at present, with his side involved in a Premier League title challenge, so alternative options are being explored.

Another window is open, meaning that Pellistri is free to head elsewhere, and his representative says a switch to La Liga is being lined up.

Edgardo Laslvia has told Fichajes: “We are working on that (a transfer), surely Spain is the destination.”

Pellistri has seen his early progress with United stunted by a bout of coronavirus, but he has fully recovered from that and returned to training.

He is looking to learn as much as possible from working in Solskjaer’s star-studded squad, with there plenty of role models to be found in Manchester.

The youngster has told the Red Devils’ official website: “It's been amazing to train with guys like [Marcus] Rashford, [Paul] Pogba, [Juan] Mata and Edi [Cavani], who is very close friends with me.

“It's amazing for me because I watched them on TV and now I am practising with them. The intensity, the high quality they have, it's great for me to play with them and I improve a lot.

“All the time I speak with Edi and he is a very nice person. He is always trying to be around me, giving me advice and everything that I need. He is there to help me and that is very important for me. I am very happy with that.

“I know he is one of the best players in the world and one of the all-time best players from Uruguay, but he is also a very nice person.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expects to hear more on the club's pursuit of Real Madrid's Martin Odegaard on Saturday, with the Gunners seemingly in dire need of a creative force in midfield after drawing a blank against Southampton in the FA Cup.

The Saints recorded their first victory over Arsenal in the competition on Saturday afternoon, with an early own goal from Gabriel Magalhaes, following Kyle Walker-Peters' shot, proving the difference between the two sides.

Disappointing performances from high-profile duo Willian and Nicolas Pepe were amongst the topics discussed following the cup exit, but the potential arrival of Odegaard has given fans something to look forward to after another poor display.

“I don't know, obviously we played today and since last night I don't have any news,” Arteta said of talks to bring in the Norwegian. “I will probably get a few phone calls today and see where we are with every deal.”

The emergence of Emile Smith Rowe as Arsenal's go-to playmaker has raised questions as to whether the arrival of 22-year-old Odegaard would stunt the former's progression, but Arteta insists there is always a clear plan in place for individuals' development.

“I cannot talk about any player that is not with us,” he said. “We have a very clear idea about how we want to develop our players and what they need to do that. All the decisions we make are to reinforce that development and try to give them the best possible chance.”

Fans may wonder if things would have gone differently had captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made an appearance against the Saints, with the skipper having been dropped from the squad shortly before kick-off.

Arteta said at the time: “He had a personal matter in the last few hours and we had to send him back.”

No further explanation has been offered as to Aubameyang's absence so far, while Arteta was unable to confirm whether he would be able to rely on one of his star performers for the upcoming clash on Tuesday – another head-to-head with Southampton in the Premier League.

“I don’t know,” the manager said. “He needs to address that issue to see how it evolves. We’re here, we will have to support him. He needs to take the time that is needed because that’s a priority at the moment.”

Mikel Arteta has vowed that Arsenal will continue to throw their support behind Nicolas Pepe and Willian despite the pair putting in another forgettable set of performances as the Gunners were dumped out of the FA Cup by Southampton.

Kyle Walker-Peters' strike via a deflection off Gabriel Magalhaes was enough to give Ralph Hasenhuttl side's the win, with Arteta's team failing to find the spark required to get themselves back in the game.

All eyes have been on Pepe for some time now, with the Ivory Coast international boasting the title of Arsenal's most expensive transfer of all time, while Willian's arrival was supposed to add some much-needed experience to a side building for the future.

Both have failed to replicate the same kind of form that persuaded the Gunners to bring them in, but Arteta maintains that the duo still have his full support as they look to return to their old selves.

“They try to give their best,” the Arsenal boss said. “The intention and willingness is there and after the decision making, the final pass is the end product and that's the hardest thing in football. We're going to keep supporting them as much as we can."

On whether they can turn around their fortunes, he said: “I hope so, and we're going to keep supporting them as much as we can as a coaching staff and as a club, because that's what they need. They need to keep working harder and try to improve their performances.

“I’m very disappointed,” he added on being dumped out of the cup. “We had a dream to do it again and that dream is over. I’m disappointed the way we conceded the goal. I cannot fault the efforts of the players, but it wasn’t enough.

“Really sad to be out of the competition. Disappointed to be out and the way we conceded. We had issues in the first half and unforced errors as a result of the high press they do. In the second half we had two or three big chances but not enough.

“It was an even game. In the first half they won a lot of second balls. In the second half we added more quality. We became more dominant and created chances but it wasn't enough.”

Ruben Dias is not concerned with becoming a modern defender for Manchester City, with the commanding Portuguese centre-half pointing out that his priority is always to keep opponents out.

Changes in approach down the years mean that those who were once asked to merely head and kick the ball are now required to offer much more to the collective cause.

Even ball-playing goalkeepers have become all the rage, with an ever-increasing number of coaches looking for their respective sides to play out from the back.

Pep Guardiola is very much in that category, with the City boss famed for his ‘tiki taka’ philosophy, but he is also aware of the need to find players that do their main job well.

Dias has shown on the back of a £62 million ($85m) move from Benfica that he is a no-nonsense defender, with the 23-year-old making no apologies for his old school mindset.

He has told the Daily Mail of his desire to defend first and play second: “The other day someone said to me here in the club, 'Ah, amazing, another clean sheet'.

“And I just said the thing that gives me most pleasure is not even the clean sheet. It's the other team not even making one shot on goal. The thing that gives me the most pleasure is that my keeper doesn't make a save.

“I'm a defender. I'm there to defend. Nowadays the idea is that a defender needs to do much more. My focus has always been on becoming better and doing more but I've never forgotten that, first of all, I'm a defender.

“If not me, then who else will take pride from defending? It gives me pleasure to make the other team feel powerless.”

Dias has struck up a positive partnership with John Stones of late, with a ball-playing England international rediscovering his spark in 2020-21.

Collective effort is, however, responsible for City getting their season on track after a slow start, with everyone at the Etihad Stadium pulling in the same direction.

Dias added: “The connection with John has been just brilliant. But I would like to say that it's not just me and John.

“A brilliant example of that, I think it was against Brighton. We were winning 1-0 but struggling and then I see Kevin [De Bruyne] and Gundo [Ilkay Gundogan] dying on the pitch. You know, running back, running forwards. Dying.

“That moment just said to me, if these guys are running like that, who will not? If these guys give everything for the team, who will not?

“Trust is given. Trust is earned. So when you start to build that defensive point of view, if we're not conceding, we're closer to winning, and then everyone starts to believe in it. They see your will to accomplish that. That makes this team strong.”

City have moved to second place in the Premier League table, two points behind arch-rivals Manchester United with a game in hand, and will be back in FA Cup action on Saturday when they take in a fourth-round clash with Cheltenham.