Arsenal 0-2 Southampton: EFL Cup quarter-final as it happened

Full-time: Arsenal 0-2 Southampton

Southampton progress into the semi-finals of the EFL Cup.

The latest corner comes in and the superb van Dijk clears. Gibbs gets a rush of blood to the head and smashes a wild effort over the bar on the follow up.

Arsenal are pushing again and win a succession of corners in the final minutes. That have to make one of them count.

Four minutes of time added on at the Emirates. Southampton are still looking superb and, amazingly, the more likely to score the next goal.

Brilliant from Southampton again as Sims and Sam McQueen and combine delightfully down the right. Sims reaches the byline and cuts an inviting ball back across goal but Gabriel just about manages to hold off the Saints player rushing into the box.

Sims close to scoring again! The 19-year-old opens his body up and looks to bend one in the far corner but Martinez manages to push it wide. The Arsenal goalkeeper does well from the resulting corner, collecting confidently.

Southampton are having to survive a bit of an onslaught at the moment with Arsenal stepping up a few gears in pursuit of an equaliser. Aaron Ramsey felt he should have had a penalty among all that but his appeals were turned down. It looked as if Martina's challenge on his him was a clean one, too.

Steven Davies watches his deflected effort loop just over Martinez's cross bar. Arsenal have just over 10 minutes to rescue this but Southampton look as dangerous as ever going forward.

Ramsey is fed by Iwobi on the edge of the D and takes a touch before taking the shot on, but he slices it horribly wide. The Wales international has been hugely underwhelming tonight.

Arsenal have just under 20 minutes to rescue this, but they are yet to meaningfully test Forster in goal.

Iwobi receives the ball on the edge of the D and nudges it onto Coquelin who has time and space to lash one on goal. It's a vicious effort, but it is driven wide of Forster's post by the Frenchman.

There has been a couple of changes for Southampton in the last few minutes too, one of those enforced with Pierre-Emile Højbjerg replacing Harrison Reed. Moments later, Sunday's star Josh Sims enters the fray to replace the excellent Boufal.

And here's another change with Ainsley Maitland-Niles onto replace Jenkinson at right-back.

Change for Arsenal, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is on for Iwobi.

The corner comes in and Van Dijk and Martinez are left in a heap as another effort from Southampton trickles wide. Both players are seen to by their respective medical teams but look okay to continue.

Southampton nearly grab a third! It is end to end at the moment and the away side's latest venture forward frees Boufal on the edge of the box. He drops a shoulder and shimmies past his marker like he's not there before shooting for the far corner but a deflection takes it just wide.

Arsenal have started this half dangerously and come forward again with Jenkinson cutting an inviting ball back across the box. It falls to Ramsey who can't get a clean connection on the ball, lifting it straight into the path of Forster who easily claims.

Arsenal come forward with Ramsey sliding a pass through for Lucas who has broken to his left inside the box but the Spaniard's return pass is a poor one that is easily intercepted.

And we are back underway at the Emirates. No changes from either side.

Half-time: Arsenal 0-2 Southampton

Southampton have one foot in the semi-finals. They have dominated the Gunners so far.

Two minutes of time added on in the first-half. Southampton in utter control and look the more likely to score the next goal.

Granit Xhaka has entered the fray to replace Elneny.

Wow, this really isn't Arsenal's night so far. Mohamed Elneny is unable to continue, he is limping of having picked up an injury.

Southampton took the lead through Clasie's superb strike and it has just got even better.

Southampton double their lead! And it's brilliantly worked again down the left with Boufal pulling out wide to deliver the telling ball into the box. His pass his right into the feet of Bertrand who takes a touch before driving it through a crowd of playera and into the far corner.

Goal! Arsenal 0-2 Southampton (Ryan Bertrand, 38)

Elneny lifts the free kick in that Bertrand flicks on just the wrong side of his goalkeeper's near post. Arsenal win another corner but Forster takes charge of the situation, rushing out of goal to pluck a fairly aimless cross out of the air.

Nothing is happening except for people getting booked at the moment. Yoshida is the next to be shown a yellow after a pretty cynical block on Reine-Adelaide.

Alex Iwobi joins his teammate in the referee's book, this time for pulling back Boufal. To be fair to the Arsenal man, both seemed to be as guilty as each other, but the decision goes Southampton's way.

Elneny picks up the first yellow of the game after hauling down Bertrand.

Arsenal are almost punished by Shane Long, who dances in dangerously from the right, skipping past a challenge from Gibbs and another from Holding. He waits for reinforcements to arrive but his pass across goal is picked out by Gabriel who can clear.

Arsenal look a bit shell-shocked after that thumping strike from Clasie. Saints have slowed the game down a bit and are enjoying a spell of possession. Van Dijk is already enjoying a pretty superb game so far at the back.

Southampton take the lead! Brilliant from Bertrand, who bursts down the left ahead of his marker before cutting the ball back into the box. Boufal doesn't make the right connection and it instead rolls onto Clasie who absolutely leathers one into the net. Martinez had zero chance of getting close to that.

Goal! Arsenal 0-1 Southampton (Jordy Clasie, 14)

Boufal does very well down the left, dancing past Iwobi before falling to the turf just outside the box under pressure from the Arsenal man. He appeals for a free kick but is told to get up.

Elneny gives the ball away and it invites Long to race in towards goal from the right. A heavy touch however invites Holding to spring forward and take control of the situation.

Perez veers out to the left flank and bursts past his marker, waiting for the inside overlapping run of Iwobi. His pass his overcooked however and Virgil van Dijk swoops in to take the ball away and carries it out of danger.

Boufal goes out to the right to close down Carl Jenkinson and accidentally catches the Gunners' full-back with a late challenge. Jenkinson hobbles away but is able to continue. With Hector Bellerin and Mathieu Debuchy out, the last thing Wenger needs is more problems at right-back.

Southampton are denied a touch of the ball in the opening two minutes of the game but suddenly Steven Davis intercepts and almost manages to thread a ball through for Shane Long. Gabriel nips across just in time however and knocks it away.

And Arsenal get us underway at the Emirates.

Ahead of kick-off, there will be a minute's silence in memory of Chapecoense; the Brazilian football team who were involved in the plane crash that killed 71 of the 76 passengers on board this week.

In his 20 years in charge at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has failed to win the League Cup. A win tonight will take him a step closer to achieving that.

While Lucas Perez returns tonight, Arsenal are still without two of their Three Amigos with Santi Cazorla and Hector Bellerin still absent. Cazorla has missed Arsenal's last eight games with his controlling presence in midfield greatly missed during that period.

Sofiane Boufal was one of Ligue 1's brightest talents last season, scoring 12 times for Lille with Barcelona among the clubs credited with interest in the 23-year-old last summer. At Southampton, we have seen glimpses of that, none more impressive than his debut at St Mary's in the fourth round of this competition when he scored a sublime winner over Sunderland.

He starts for the first time since then tonight.

Shane Long is also back in the Saints starting XI tonight, replacing Charlie Austin up front.

Claude Puel meanwhile retains three of his back five with Fraser Forster, Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Bertrand holding onto their places following the 2-0 win over Everton. Josh Sims settles for a spot on the bench after his impressive debut, but Sofiane Boufal comes in to replace him in attack. 21-year-olds Harrison Reed and Sam McQueen are also handed starts.

Mohamed Elneny is the only player retained from the team that beat Bournemouth on Sunday. Of the 10 changes made by Arsene Wenger this evening, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain surprisingly drops out given his contribution in this competition so far. Jeff Reine-Adelaide comes back into attack with Aaron Ramsey given a role further up the pitch just behind Perez.

Granit Xhaka and Oxlade-Chamberlain are the only senior options on the bench.

Southampton team to face Arsenal: Forster; Martina, Yoshida, Van Dijk, Bertrand; Davis, Reed, Clasie; Boufal, McQueen, Long.

Subs: Lewis, Cedric, Rodriguez, Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg, Stephens, Sims

Arsenal team to face Southampton: Martinez, Jenkinson, Holding, Gabriel, Gibbs, Coquelin, Elneny, Reine-Adelaide, Ramsey, Iwobi, Lucas

Subs: Macey, Bola, Bielike, Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mavididi

BREAKING: Lucas Perez starts up front for Arsenal

Ainsley-Maitland Niles and Jeff Reine-Adelaide are among the Arsenal youngsters hoping to be given another chance this evening. Emiliano Martinez is also expected to continue in goal, having started the previous two games in this competition.

Will we get another sight of Josh Sims, the latest Southampton starlet to roll off the production line, tonight? It's unlikely according to Saints boss Claude Puel.

We will see. I think for Josh it's important now he stays quiet and can recover, not just physically but also mentally.

"It's important he stays with a good spirit and good attitude. His work has just begun, it is not finished and it is important to keep him with a good attitude for the future.

Lucas Perez scored a brace in the third round win over Nottingham Forest but limped out of the victory over Reading. The Spaniard has been unavailable for Arsenal's last six games as a result but could return tonight. Arsene Wenger told reporters last Friday:

Lucas returned to training today for first time, he might be in contention for Wednesday, one training session is not enough to be involved on Sunday.

Arsene Wenger told reporters earlier this week he will select a side that is a mix of youth and experience - although Olivier Giroud won't be available. Gabriel will also start at centre-half.

"Mathieu has a scan today, so we don't have the full results yet. We will have a mixture of youth and experience, but still 90% of a first-team squad.

"Carl Jenkinson will play. I rested him completely against Bournemouth because he played two big games and I felt he needed a breather. Sometimes, mentally three games in a week demands a lot. Carl's back in tomorrow and we'll put Gabriel in the centre, and then we will see for Saturday.

Routes to the quarter-finals: Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Reading – fourth round
Nottingham Forest 0-4 Arsenal – third round

Routes to the quarter-finals: Southampton

Southampton 1-0 Sunderland – fourth round
Southampton 2-0 Crystal Palace – third round

Team news: Arsenal

Lucas Perez's last appearance for the Gunners came in this competition against Reading last month. The 27-year-old's evening came to an end with 18 minutes of the match remaining however after a heavy challenge from Danzell Gravenberch just moments after the Reading defender had come off the bench for Jaap Stam's side. But having returned to training late last week, the former Deportivo striker could feature tonight.

His return will be welcomed with Olivier Giroud absent this evening due to an groin problem. Mathieu Debuchy's hopes of regaining a first-team spot have also been dealt a hefty blow after picking up a hamstring injury.

Team news: Southampton

Saints will be without Dusan Tadic and Matty Target this evening but Steven Davis is available once again after recovering from illness. Sofiane Boufal could be in line to start just his second game for the club since his arrival in the summer having recovered from a minor knock.

Josh Sims, who enjoyed a superb debut at the weekend is likely to be rested, however.