U18s preview: Southampton v Arsenal | Pre-Match Report | News

Our Under 18s will look for their first win of 2026 when we take on Southampton at Staplewood Training Ground on Saturday 24th January.

Adam Birchall’s side lost their first two matches of the calendar year, exiting the FA Youth Cup to Manchester City after conceding a last-minute winner to Leicester City in our first league game of the year.

the opposition

The Saints have played just one game so far in 2026, after their FA Youth Cup campaign ended prematurely with a 2-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers in December.

Like us, Southampton will be looking for their first win of the new year in Sunday’s game after losing their 2026 opener 2-1 to Birmingham City last time out. The result left Saints four points ahead of us in the table, 19 to 15 after 11 games each in the U18 Premier League South.

Harry Gathercole has been the main danger man for Saturday’s opponents this season, scoring eight times in nine league matches.

how to follow

Live updates will be available throughout the match via our academy’s official X account, with a match report available shortly after full time.

After the match, don’t miss exclusive interviews with our head coach Adam Birchall and one of his players, plus highlights of all the action on Arsenal.com.