Arsenal and Southampton played a tight game which ended in a 1 – 1 draw at St. Mary’s Stadium on Sunday. The draw secured vital points for the Saints while putting pressure on Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners have had their best start to a Premier League season in a decade, winning nine of their 10 games prior to their Southampton clash. Their only loss came against Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United. In that time, current champions, Manchester City, have stuttered, losing one game and drawing two of their 10 games.
City, however, have an excellent scoring and defensive record which puts them in prime position to sit comfortably atop the league table should Arsenal slip up. And the Gunners slipped up on Sunday, after Granit Xhaka’s third Premier League goal in a row in the first half was cancelled out by Stuart Armstrong’s equaliser for Southampton.
The draw ended Arsenal’s eight-game winning streak in all competitions this season. It was also the first time they had ended a game tied in 28 games played.
Unlike against PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Europa League last Thursday, Arsenal started on the front foot and maintained pressure on Southampton’s backline. Xhaka, Gabriel Jesus and captain Martin Ødegaard all had opportunities to put the Gunners ahead in the first 10 minutes.
The goal deservedly came in the 11th minute and it was a copy of Xhaka’s goal against PSV last Thursday. A cross from Ben White from the right wing was finished first time by Xhaka to send Arsenal’s travelling fans into a frenzy.
Arsenal continued to pile on the Saints but were unable to find another breakthrough. They would regret it in the second half, as Southampton, who had begun to build their momentum slowly in the latter stages of the first half, consolidated on that new-found drive in the second.
Southampton pulled together a string of passes that Arsenal boss Arteta would be proud of to set Armstrong loose in the box to finish past Aaron Ramsdale. They kept up the pressure, with Nigerian midfielder Joe Aribo being the next to test Ramsdale, who was up to the task.
Arsenal now have a two-point lead at the top of the table. They will now be counting on the resurgent Leicester City, who host Man City next week, to slow Pep Guardiola’s side down.
Meanwhile, they will hope not to fall prey to the tricks of the forest when they welcome Nottingham Forest to the Emirates next week.
