Arsenal beat Southampton 3-1 yesterday at the Emirates however the score doesn’t properly reflect the nature of the game.
Despite being sat 19th in the relegation zone and without a win in six Premier League games Southampton tested Mikel Arteta’s Gunners at The Emirates.
The Saints stole the lead after 55 minutes through an impressive strike through Cameron Archer, who scored from the left hand side of the box sliding his shot into the bottom left corner of David Raya’s net. He made the most of a strong Southampton counter attack which he concluded with a goal.
This wasn’t the first time or only time The North Londoner’s goal had or would be threatened by the Hampshire side during the encounter.
The Saints had four clean-cut opportunities throughout the 90 minute which nearly scared the hands of Raya even more!
To start off with Tyler Dibling the young Southampton prospect etched his way around Arsenals defence down the right wing, sending a cross through to Mateus Fernandes in the centre of the box who narrowly tipped the ball over the crossbar with his left ankle.
Not too long beforehand Kyle Walker Peters opened up The Gunners back line with a firm shot from outside the 25-yard area which was directed straight into the grasp of Raya.
Dibling then took the match into his young hands again whispering the side of the post from outside the box. Moments later more woodwork was flirted with through Saints first corner of the match after 78 minutes. Saints had a corner which was pushed out by Raya hitting Taylor Hardwood-Bellis then whacking Adam Armstrong before striking the bar.
However Arsenal would fail to be intimated by Southampton’s heroics after stealing the lead and within three minutes the Gunners retaliated. At the other end of the pitch Kai Havertz continued his impressive scoring form netting for the fifth consecutive Premier League home match, whacking the inside of the left hand post from within the 25-yard area to pull his side back into the match.
Ten minutes later Gabriel Martinelli undid all of the visitor’s hard work ,making it 2-1 to Arsenal slotting the ball past former Gunner’s goalie Aaron Ramsdale’s near post from a handful of yards away. VAR was used for the second game in a row at The Emirates in relation to deciding a home goal and like the previous occasion a goal was awarded in The North Londoner’s favour.
In the final minutes Bukayo Saka smoothed over 60,000 worries from within the Emirates finishing off the match for The Gunners firing his shot in from close range seeing a 3-1 win sealed with fighting spirit.
Martinelli later admitted after glory that Arsenal need to win at all costs if they’re to lift the title at last this season.
The Brazilian said on BBC Sports Match of the Day:”if you want to fight for the title, you have to win these games, it doesn’t matter how hard it is and what it takes you’ve got to win.”
Even Arteta mentioned on the same programme:”the team finds a way to win in any contest, to compete in the way we do and to adapt to those circumstances.”
The Gunners certainly have that extra fighting edge to them so far this season.
Liam Harding
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