Having faced back-to-back defeats in both their encounters against Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion respectively since the restart of the season, Arsenal were looking to bounce back to winning ways when they took on Southampton in their own backyard. The Gunners looked desperate for a victory and they finally got one as they defeated the Saints by 2-0.
Mikel Arteta’s men started to get the ball in the opposition box from the word go and their tactics paid off in the 20th minute when Eddie Nketiah opened the scoring for his side following a howler from the Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, who passed the ball right in the way of an advancing Nketiah and he made no mistake in putting the ball in the open net and put his team in the lead. This happened after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the woodwork with a subtle chip as the ball bounced off the wrong side of the post.
The Gunners doubled their lead in the second half as Joe Willock scored off a rebound after McCarthy, once again, failed to catch the ball cleanly after it was hit viciously by Alexandre Lacazette. The free-kick was given in the dying moments of the match after Jack Stephens brought Aubameyang down just outside the box, for which he was sent off as well. It was Willock’s first Premier League goal as well, which could not have come at a better time than this.
Key Talking Points From The Match Are As Follows-
Arsenal bounce back to winning ways
The Gunners looked determined to get back to winning ways. This was after facing disappointment in their first couple of matches in the Premier League. The likes of Nketiah and Willock took the onus of carrying the team on their shoulders. They ensured that all three points went into their pocket without much fuss.
They were well supported by the likes of Aubameynag and Lacazette, though the former was just not himself on the night. However, they helped their side to dish out a dominant performance against the Saints in their own backyard. Their position on the league table, however, remains unchanged, i.e., they stand at number nine.
Southampton’s woes continue
Currently placed at the 14th spot in the Premier League table, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men haven’t looked good throughout the season. They picked up their second defeat in three matches since the restart of the Premier League. After a dominant performance against Norwich City in their last match, a better performance was expected from the Saints.
Despite that, they could not come up with a plan to stop the rampant Gunners. There wasn’t much except for a few moments of brilliance. Those could cause no harm to the Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Can Arsenal regain their lost confidence?
Having succumbed to back-to-back defeats in the Premier League, the Gunners looked out of sorts. However, they regrouped well against Southampton. That too in a tough fixture away from home and returned with maximum points. It might be a good omen for Mikel Arteta’s men, who seem to have recovered some of the lost confidence as they showed resilience against the Saints. The Londoners capitalised on the defensive lapses to get a win that can be a huge boost to their battered morale. This is a good time to win, ahead of the business end of the season.
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