THE omens are very much against Saints producing a major shock at Highbury this afternoon.

Arsenal have not lost two consecutive games for more than two years while Saints have not won at Highbury since 1987.

The last time Arsenal lost two consecutive Premiership games was back in October 2002.

The first was a 2-1 defeat at Everton on October 19 when the then 16-year-old Wayne Rooney announced his arrival on the Premiership stage with a superb 25-yard winner.

Arsenal then lost to Auxerre in the Champions League at home before Blackburn went to Highbury on October 26 and also won 2-1.

Saints have only won three out of the last 24 meetings with Arsenal stretching back to 1993.

And Arsenal haven't lost at home in the league for 25 games - a run which started with a 6-1 pre-FA Cup final battering of Saints on May 7, 2003!

This is how Arsenal have fared in the league since then at Highbury:

May 2003

Saints W 6-1 (Pires 3, Pennant 3)

August 2003

Everton W 2-1 (Henry, Pires)

Aston Villa W 2-0 (Campbell, Henry)

September 2003

Portsmouth D 1-1 (Henry)

Newcastle W 3-2 (Henry 2, Gilberto)

October 2003

Chelsea W 2-1 (Edu, Henry)

November 2003

Tottenham W 2-1 (Pires, Ljungberg)

November 2003

Fulham D 0-0

December 2003

Blackburn W 1-0 (Bergkamp)

Wolves W 3-0 (Henry 2, og)

January 2004

Middlesbrough W 4-1 (Henry, Pires, Ljungberg, og)

February 2004

Manchester City W 2-1 (og, Henry)

Saints W 2-0 (Henry 2)

Charlton W 2-1 (Pires, Henry)

March 2004

Bolton W 2-1 (Pires, Bergkamp)

Man United D 1-1 (Henry)

April 2004

Liverpool W 4-2 (Henry 3, Pires)

Leeds W 5-0 (Pires, Henry 4)

May 2004

Birmingham City D 0-0

Leicester W 2-1 (Henry, Vieira)

August 2004

Middlebrough W 5-3 (Henry 2, Pires, Bergkamp, Reyes)

Blackburn W 3-0 (Henry, Fabergas, Reyes)

September 2004

Bolton D 2-2 (Henry, Pires)

October 2004

Charlton W 4-0 (Henry 2, Reyes, Ljungberg)

Aston Villa W 3-1 (Pires 2, Henry)