In That Number

Southampton have completed the signing of Napoli striker Manolo Gabbiadini.

Gabbiadini played for Atalanta, Bologna on loan and Sampdoria before joining Napoli

The 25-year-old cost in the region of £14m and has signed a four-and-a-half year deal.

Gabbiadini, who has six caps for Italy, joined Napoli from Sampdoria in 2015 and has scored 15 goals in 55 league appearances.

"One of my dreams was to perform in one of the biggest leagues in the world, so now that it's happening I can't wait to start playing," Gabbiadini said.

"The facilities that I have seen here are an incredible level - top-level standards even for Serie A. These are the sort of facilities that make you want to come here."

Gabbiadini has not started a Serie A match for the Naples side since November.

Swansea boosted their Premier League survival hopes and secured back-to-back wins for the first time this season with a spirited victory over Southampton.

The Welsh side started slowly at the Liberty Stadium but grew into the first half and led when Alfie Mawson headed in Gylfi Sigurdsson's corner via a deflection off Oriol Romeu.

Recently installed manager Paul Clement threw his arms into the air and his side looked to have seized control but a slick Saints passing move after the break saw Shane Long prod in Ryan Bertrand's low cross.

Long's finish was just Southampton's fourth touch inside the area but although they then seized the momentum, the impressive Sigurdsson struck when Luciano Narsingh - coming off the bench for his debut - crossed on the counter-attack.

Saints rallied late on with Sofiane Boufal seeing a shot blocked and Maya Yoshida heading wide, but Claude Puel's EFL Cup finalists have now lost five of their past six Premier League games.

They drop to 12th, while Swansea stay 17th after a timely win on a night where relegation rivals Crystal Palace also picked up three points.

Thank Goodness For Gylfi

"Performance was so-so, the result massive," said Clement, who turned towards fans and clenched both fists on the sound of the final whistle.

The club's major shareholders Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan were in the stadium and their decision to appoint the ex-Derby manager appears to be paying dividends.

This was a second win in three league games - to the delight of home fans, who faced the prospect of seeing the club suffer four consecutive home defeats for the first time in the top flight.

While the neat, intricate passing style that once defined Swansea in the Premier League was lacking, there was bite in midfield and resilience when called for.

Leroy Fer and Jack Cork offered aggression, while Mawson was solid at the back, not least when he bravely blocked Boufal's late shot in the area.

But there is no doubting the class act in Swansea's ranks. Sigurdsson made the opener, had a long-range effort held by Fraser Forster and a good drive tipped over before the break.

When his moment arrived, he coolly steered in the ball as new boy Narsingh showed rapid pace to lead a break and deliver a cross.

News of forward Jordan Ayew joining from Aston Villa, who will take Swans defender Neil Taylor in return, will offer further attacking options.

But new recruits will need to go some way to become more important than Sigurdsson. He has now either scored or created half of Swansea's goals this season and Clement will be desperate for more of the same.

Kudos For Clement And Gylfi

Alfie Mawson's header deflected off Oriol Romeu to give Swansea the lead

Former England winger Trevor Sinclair on Match of the Day: "I think Paul Clement has learnt from his mistakes when he was at Derby. He seems to have got the chemistry right and it is showing in Swansea's performances."

Former Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy: "I am surprised Tottenham let Sigurdsson go. He loves scoring goals; he is technically superb. Without him they would be in a world of trouble."

Patched-Up Saints Need Reinforcements

Shane Long brought Saints level but Lukasz Fabianski was forced to make just one other save on the night

Poor league form, excellent EFL Cup form - Southampton pose questions for Puel, who admitted his side did not do enough in the first half to merit more on the night.

Long was wayward when sent racing into the area early on but their first-half highlights ended there, as they seemed to play in flurries throughout the 90 minutes - a trait that has run through much of their season.

Before kick-off, no Premier League side had more players injured than Saints, a predicament that had seen Puel rest 10 players in the 5-0 FA Cup loss against Arsenal at the weekend.

But there were still positives for his patched-up side. Romeu was destructive and classy in midfield - completing 92% of his passes - and Long's goal arrived from a fine move as Steven Davis slipped Bertrand clear to pick out a cross.

Nathan Redmond fired wide when well placed and saw Lukasz Fabianski tip another shot over - but two shots on target from 10 efforts perhaps shows why Puel has signed Manolo Gabbiadini from Napoli.

Saints have scored only 23 league goals all season, so the £14m signing could be a huge help, as would the return of several players from the treatment room.

Man Of The Match - Gylfi Sigurdsson

Sigurdsson had six shots and was the focus of Swansea's good attacking play as he created their first with an excellent corner and scored their second with a controlled finish

'A Massive Win' - What The Managers Said

Swansea boss Paul Clement: "A massive result for us - to back the great away win at Liverpool with a home win in a really hard game. They peppered our box with crosses. We showed big character. Our second goal was fantastic, a great counter. We have done more than I expected. Since the heavy loss to Arsenal we have taken one or two really important games."

Southampton boss Claude Puel: "A good second half but perhaps it was too late. We cannot take a positive when you lose a game. It was not sufficient for us in the same half without a good concentration and application of our football. The second half was a good reaction, a good try, but they played clinically tonight and have been rewarded."

Clean Sheets Lacking - The Stats You Need To Know...

◾ Gylfi Sigurdsson has been involved in 14 Premier League goals this season (seven goals, seven assists) equalling his tally for last season. ◾ The Swans have only kept one clean sheet in their past 14 Premier League games, conceding 37 goals. ◾ Southampton have kept just one clean sheet in their past eight away Premier League games.

Up Next?

Swansea host Manchester City for a lunchtime kick-off on Sunday, while Southampton entertain West Ham on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

TEAM NEWS

Winger Luciano Narsingh is available to make his first Swansea appearance since joining from PSV Eindhoven after recovering from a calf problem.

Ki Sung-yueng returns to the squad following a calf injury, but Leon Britton and Oliver McBurnie are out.

Southampton manager Claude Puel says defender Virgil van Dijk's ankle injury will rule him out for "a few weeks".

However, Puel wouldn't reveal whether any of his other injured players would return against the Swans.

James Ward-Prowse, Sofiane Boufal, Jay Rodriguez, Charlie Austin, Jeremy Pied, Matt Targett and Alex McCarthy were all absent at the weekend when Saints lost 5-0 to Arsenal in the FA Cup.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

John Roder: "On my last two visits to the Liberty Stadium for Match of the Day - the post-Christmas defeats to West Ham and Bournemouth - it was hard to find anyone who thought the Swans were going to escape relegation.

"That viewpoint has almost certainly changed following the magnificent victory at Liverpool.

"Swansea haven't played since then, while Southampton have had three matches, including their own terrific triumph over Jurgen Klopp's side in the League Cup.

"Southampton were outstanding when I saw them defeat Leicester in their last Premier League match. If they play to the same standard, Swansea will do well to prevent the Saints from taking all three points."

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Swansea head coach Paul Clement: "Winning at Liverpool was a bonus, but this is the type of home game where we have to be looking to do well.

"We have to be better at home. Away results, especially against the big sides, are bonuses.

"But we have to got to be more consistent at home."

Southampton manager Claude Puel: "I prefer not to comment on all the injuries but we have between eight and 10 players not available.

"It is a lot but it is the fault of the calendar for us. With all these games it is difficult and if I didn't protect some players against Arsenal we could not play this game against Swansea or the next against West Ham."

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

◾ Swansea have only won one of the nine Premier League meetings (D2, L6), scoring just three goals in total. ◾ The last three meetings at Swansea have all ended 1-0 to the Saints. ◾ Southampton also won this season's corresponding fixture 1-0 on 18 September - Claude Puel's first victory in charge.

Swansea City

◾ Swansea have won two of their last three league matches and could record consecutive Premier League victories for the first time this season. ◾ They have suffered three successive league defeats at the Liberty Stadium - they have never lost four consecutive top-flight home matches. ◾ The Swans have conceded at least three goals in five of their last six league home games. ◾ Home and away, they have conceded 29 goals in their last 10 Premier League fixtures - more than Southampton have in their last 24 fixtures.

Southampton

◾ Southampton ended a four-game Premier League losing run with their 3-0 win over Leicester. ◾ Saints have only won one of their last eight away league games (D3, L4). ◾ They have failed to score in four of their last five away matches in the Premier League. ◾ Claude Puel's side have lost a Premier League-high four matches after scoring the first goal this season.

Southampton have signed Nice goalkeeper Mouez Hassen on a five-month loan deal.

Mouez Hassen has made 50 appearances for French club Nice

The 21-year-old Frenchman previously played under Saints manager Claude Puel at the Ligue 1 club.

"I am really happy," said Hassen. "It's a pleasure for me to come to England and I am really happy to get to know the Premier League."

Southampton's executive director of football Les Reed added: "He has built an excellent reputation during his time with Nice."

Hassen, who has made 50 first-team appearances for Nice, has represented France at every youth level, from under-16s through to under-21s.

The Saints are also close to completing a £14m deal for Napoli forward Manolo Gabbiadini.

Saints Announce Their New Signing

Southampton have agreed a fee of about £14m for Napoli striker Manolo Gabbiadini.

Gabbiadini played for Atalanta, Bologna on loan and Sampdoria before joining Napoli

The 25-year-old is set to have a medical at the Premier League club on Tuesday.

Gabbiadini, who has six caps for Italy, joined Napoli from Sampdoria in 2015 and has scored 15 goals in 55 league appearances.

However, he has struggled for a first-team place in recent weeks and has not started a Serie A match since November.

Southampton are looking for extra forward cover, with Charlie Austin expected to be out for another three months with a shoulder injury.

Theo Walcott struck a hat-trick and Danny Welbeck marked his first start since May 2016 with two goals and an outstanding individual performance as Arsenal thrashed Southampton to reach the FA Cup fifth round.

In a tie played out between two much-changed line-ups, Arsenal ruthlessly outclassed Southampton as Claude Puel's side came crashing down to earth after reaching the EFL Cup final with victory at Liverpool on Wednesday.

Welback, back in the starting line-up after that lengthy absence following knee surgery, put Arsenal in control with two cool finishes inside the first 22 minutes then set up Arsenal's third for Walcott before half-time.

The Gunners, with manager Arsene Wenger watching from the stands as he starts a four-match touchline ban, heaped further misery on Southampton after the break, sending on Alexis Sanchez as substitute to create two comfortable finishes for Saints product Walcott.

Welbeck Shows His Quality

This was Welbeck's first start since May 2016 but there was not the slightest sign of rustiness as he settled to his task as if he had never been away.

Welbeck's end product has occasionally drawn criticism but it was as smooth as silk here, taking Lucas Perez's pass to loft a clever finish over Southampton's stand-in keeper Harry Lewis for his first, drawing Wenger out of his seat in the stand in delight.

He was at it again seven minutes later, bringing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's floated pass under his spell before showing composure once more to beat Lewis.

Welbeck then showed his awareness and value as a team player to cross for Walcott to react before any Southampton defender for a simple close-range strike for Arsenal's third.

Welbeck is due a run of good fortune with injuries and he demonstrated here that he brings tireless effort and work-rate to Arsenal's team as well as a goal threat. If he can finally put a run of games together after his long absence, he will be a key asset for Wenger.

Wenger wisely withdrew him after 64 minutes with the game safe, to a fully deserved standing ovation from the travelling fans.

Southampton allowed Arsenal to press high up the pitch, a strategy that backfired as they were able to patiently pass the ball around inside the Saints half to work their openings. The Gunners' first goal came from a 16-pass move.

Gunners Spoil Southampton's Party

There was a mood of celebration around St Mary's as supporters arrived for this FA Cup fourth-round tie - and rightly so after the outstanding victory over two legs against Liverpool sent them into the EFL Cup final against Manchester United at Wembley on 26 February.

Saints' boss Puel pointed clearly to his priorities with 10 changes from the team that won at Anfield, only defender Jack Stephens keeping his place in the starting line-up.

And how it showed as Southampton played like strangers to be ripped apart by Arsenal.

The party mood was deflated but Saints fans were in forgiving mood, with even the smattering of boos at half-time and at the end sounding very half-hearted, as if this team selection and Anfield hangover was to be expected.

Best Seat In The House For Wenger

Wenger was banned after pushing fourth official Anthony Taylor against Burnley last-time out

Wenger watched this emphatic Arsenal display from the comfort of a seat in the stand at St Mary's.

He was serving the first game in a four-match touchline suspension after accepting a Football Association charge of misconduct for verbally abusing and pushing fourth official Anthony Taylor in the win against Burnley at Emirates Stadium.

Wenger, who was also fined £25,000, barely had a moment of discomfort as his right-hand man Steve Bould took charge on the touchline.

There is no doubt the Gunners' boss would have preferred to be in his usual position on the touchline - but he was able to sit back and relax as Arsenal cruised into the FA Cup Fifth round.

Man Of match - Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)

Danny Welbeck scored and assisted in the same match for the first time since September 2014 against Aston Villa

A First Since Bendtner - The Stats

◾ Theo Walcott scored his fifth Arsenal hat-trick and was the first Arsenal player since Nicklas Bendtner against Leyton Orient in March 2011 to score an FA Cup hat-trick. ◾ Welbeck scored and assisted in the same game for the first time since September 2014 against Aston Villa. ◾ Arsenal won an away game by five clear goals for the first time since August 2009 against Everton (6-1). ◾ The Saints recorded their heaviest home FA Cup defeat since February 1910, when they lost 5-0 to Manchester City. ◾ This was Southampton's joint-heaviest defeat at the St Mary's Stadium, equalling their 6-1 loss to Liverpool in the League Cup last season. ◾ Lucas Perez has been involved in eight goals in eight starts for Arsenal in all competitions (five goals, three assists) and assisted Welbeck's first goal in this game. ◾ Southampton have conceded twice or more in eight of their past nine FA Cup matches against top-flight opponents, doing so in each of their past five. ◾ Walcott has scored seven goals in his past four away FA Cup matches. ◾ Alexis Sanchez has had a hand in 11 goals in 10 FA Cup games for Arsenal (five goals, six assists). ◾ Walcott was the first player to score an FA Cup hat-trick against the Saints since Paul Rideout did so for Tranmere in February 2001, in their famous 4-3 victory.

'A Good Lesson'

Southampton manager Claude Puel: "I am responsible for the defeat. If I had to do other team at the start I would make the same because it is a difficult moment for us with all these games. We had nine players not available and I had to protect some players. It is not possible to play every three days with the same players and with some players with injuries.

"It was a good lesson, they are a great team. We started the game without good experience and were nervous. It was better in the final 10 minutes of the first half and in the second half it was interesting - it was a good reaction in the collective."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger: "We were very dynamic, explosive and overall we had a good consistent performance over 90 minutes and everybody played well.

"Welbeck has been out for such a long time, I didn't expect him to score straight away and it shows the desire is there.

"People say I make changes but I bring in Walcott, Welbeck and Perez, all top-quality players. After that I try to find the best balance for the team."

What Next?

It's back to the Premier League on Tuesday as Southampton travel to Swansea looking to record their second successive win in the competition. Meanwhile, Arsenal are at home to Watford on the same night as they look to keep up the pressure on Premier League leaders Chelsea. The Blues are eight points clear of the Gunners.

TEAM NEWS

Southampton will be without Virgil van Dijk, James Ward-Prowse and Jay Rodriguez for Saturday's FA Cup fourth round tie against Arsenal.

Defender Van Dijk has an ankle injury, while midfielder Ward-Prowse and forward Rodriguez picked up knocks in Wednesday's EFL Cup win at Liverpool.

Midfielder Granit Xhaka is suspended for Arsenal following his red card against Burnley last Sunday.

Forward Theo Walcott is back in the squad following a calf injury.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

◾ Southampton have kept clean sheets in four of their last five games against Arsenal in all competitions ◾ This is the first FA Cup meeting between Arsenal and Southampton since the 2003 final, which the Gunners won 1-0 courtesy of a Robert Pires goal ◾ Southampton have never beaten Arsenal in an FA Cup tie (semi-final in 1926/27, sixth round in 1978/79 and the final in 2002/03)

Southampton

◾ Southampton could become the first team to knock Arsenal out of both domestic cups in the same season since Manchester United in 1982/83

Arsenal

◾ Arsenal have progressed from 16 of their 20 FA Cup fourth round ties under Arsene Wenger, losing only to Leeds (1996/97), Leicester (1999/2000), Bolton (2005/06) and Stoke (2009/10) ◾ The Gunners have won their last five away FA Cup matches in a row - they have never won six consecutively in the competition's history ◾ After losing back-to-back games against Everton and Man City, the Gunners have since gone six games unbeaten in all competitions (W5 D1)