Football
PA Sport 9y

Southampton can top Arsenal for fourth, Ronald Koeman says

Ronald Koeman believes Southampton can finish above Arsenal in the Premier League this season.

The former Netherlands defender thinks Saints can pip Arsenal to Champions League qualification and break Arsene Wenger's record of 18 consecutive top-four Premier League finishes.

Southampton host Arsenal at St Mary's on New Year's Day, sitting in fourth ahead of fifth-placed Arsenal on goal difference alone.

Koeman believes Southampton can "surprise people" and buck the trend of financial clout defining Premier League success.

"I think so," said Koeman when asked if Southampton can finish ahead of Arsenal this term. "We are now halfway through the season and we have played all the teams, and I believe still that we can fight for a top place in the league.

"Maybe it was unrealistic before the season, and maybe that has changed a little bit with how we have played up until now."

Arsenal have always finished inside the league's top four since Wenger's arrival in north London in October 1996.

The Gunners secured the double in Wenger's first full season at the helm, and have remained among the Premier League power mongers ever since. 

Southampton have shrugged off a summer of unrest and high-profile departures to thrive under new boss Koeman. The former Feyenoord boss remains confident Saints can resist interest from Arsenal and Spurs to retain highly-prized midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin past the January transfer window.

Koeman believes Arsenal's continued Champions League interests could benefit Southampton in the race for a fourth-place league finish.

The former Barcelona defender admitted Southampton must rely on hard graft ahead of star quality.

"The Premier League really is strong competition, they have to play Champions League again after February or March," said Koeman. "That means a lot of games for them and it is a challenge to keep the physical, the freshness in the competition.

"Teams like Arsenal always have to be in the top of the league, because they can normally buy the best players. Maybe not like City, Chelsea or United, but that means three clubs, and after that, normally Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, other teams who have to fight behind the big ones. And then maybe we will come, and surprise people. 

"This season Everton looks a little bit more like struggling than last season. But Arsenal is always one of the top clubs in the Premier League, because they have very good players, like [Alexis] Sanchez. They can win games for clubs, and that's not about organisation of the coach, or the system of the coach. Like Hazard, you saw the other day, we don't have that kind of player.

"For us it's more teamwork than individual quality of the player. We don't have that kind of player."

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