Shane Long returns to contention for Southampton ahead of Arsenal clash

Southampton forward Shane Long will be available for Thursday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal.

The 33-year-old, who recently signed a contract extension, missed Saints’ winning return to action at Norwich through a muscle complaint.

Moussa Djenepo remains suspended for Southampton following his March sending off against Newcastle.

Arsenal will be without a host of first-team regulars when they head to Southampton on Thursday night.

David Luiz serves the last of a two-game ban while fellow defenders Pablo Mari (ankle), Calum Chambers (knee) and Cedric Soares (facial) miss out although Sokratis Papastathopoulos is fit following a thigh strain.

Bernd Leno and Gabriel Martinelli (both knee) are absent, as is Lucas Torreira (ankle), with Granit Xhaka (ankle) now available for selection.

Southampton provisional squad: McCarthy, Gunn, Lewis, Walker-Peters, Valery, Vestergaard, Stephens, Bednarek, Danso, Bertrand, Vokins, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Hojbjerg, Smallbone, Boufal, Redmond, Tella, Long, Ings, Adams, Obafemi.

Arsenal provisional squad: Martinez, Macey, Bellerin, Sokratis, Holding, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Tierney, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Ceballos, Maitland-Niles, Willock, Ozil, Nelson, Pepe, Aubameyang, Lacazette, Nketiah.