Ralph Hasenhuttl wants Southampton to cut off the supply line to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as he attempts to avoid further suffering at the hands of the Arsenal striker.
Former Borussia Dortmund player Aubameyang scored six Bundesliga goals against teams managed by Hasenhuttl when the pair worked in Germany.
Saints boss Hasenhuttl must once again try to shackle the prolific Gabon international when he takes charge of his first match at St Mary’s on Sunday.
And the Austrian fears his struggling side may be in for a testing afternoon against Unai Emery’s in-form Gunners.
“He has a lot of qualities and therefore we have to work as a team,” Hasenhuttl said of Aubameyang.
“It will depend how much pressure (we put) on guys that want to pass to him.
“Maybe don’t give too much time to these guys to put the perfect pass then it’s easier to defend his qualities – his speed, his heading in the box.
“That is our goal to defend him and the rest of the team.
“But he doesn’t need a lot of chances to score, as everyone knows.”
Hasenhuttl previously coach Ingolstadt and Leipzig, with Aubameyang – the Premier League’s joint leading scorer with 10 – registering three goals against each during those spells.
Asked if he would be pleased to see the 29-year-old rotated out of Emery’s starting XI this weekend, Hasenhuttl replied: “I wouldn’t be disappointed about that.”
Arsenal travel to the south coast 22 games unbeaten in all competitions
Southampton, meanwhile, sit second bottom of the division and with just one top-flight win at home in the last 12 months.