Report: Saints out-gunned by Gunners

With the hosts winless in their last three games against Saints, another afternoon of frustration looked on the cards after a goalless opening 45 minutes.

A repeat of history looked even more likely when Cameron Archer tidily grabbed his first Premier League goal for Saints 10 minutes after the restart, only for a quickfire response from Mikel Arteta’s side.

Just 180 seconds after the opener Kai Kavertz restored parity, before substitute Gabriel Martinelli put Arsenal into the driving seat.

Saints rallied and went close to equalising in the closing stages, before Bukayo Saka made sure of the points to continue the visitors’ wait for a league win.

Russell Martin hinted in the build up that some of his tried and trusted lieutenants from last season's promotion-winning campaign may return to the starting eleven, and the Saints boss stayed true to his word by re-introducing four familiar faces.

Previously only named in one matchday squad this season, Ryan Manning was handed a Premier League bow as he created a new-look left flank alongside Kyle Walker-Peters, who returned at left-back following a two-game spell on the bench.

At the top end of the pitch Ross Stewart made his first start for the club, with Joe Aribo taking Lesley Ugochukwu's spot in midfield to complete the changes.

With ‘North London Forever’ still echoing in the N7 air, the Gunners were quick to setup camp in the Saints half with plenty of pressure.

Jan Bednarek played a pivotal role defensively in the first half

Saka’s early corner sparked panic in the box which the visitors survived, before Gabriel Jesus and Havertz forced last-ditch defensive interventions to keep Aaron Ramsdale untested on his first return to his former employer.

Living dangerously, referee Tony Harrington sided with Jan Bednarek when Raheem Sterling went down under challenge from the Poland international after just six minutes, as an opening goal looked to loom closer.

The signs of a difficult afternoon ahead grew stronger when Stewart, just 27 minutes into his first start, limped down the tunnel with a calf injury forcing Archer to take his place.

However, to Saints’ credit, they settled into a defensive shape that stifled the hosts’ early ability to find space in behind, a change best highlighted by Gabriel opting for a wayward shot from 30 yards when faced with a wall of yellow in front of him.

The lure of a long-range effort actually produced Arsenal’s best attempt on goal, as Jorginho’s dipping half-volley from 20 yards was almost sucked in by the Clock End, only to drop just wide of the post.

After a shaky opening 10 minutes, a goalless interval was in sight for the yellows’, but they needed Bednarek to get a vital head to a goal-bound Sterling effort and Ramsdale to parry an awkward Thomas Partey strike to conserve parity at the halfway stage.

There’s no doubt the opening 45 minutes would’ve given the visitors confidence, a notion shown to be fact by an explosive start to the second half.

The mercurial talent of Tyler Dibling was the initial architect, bursting past Riccardo Calafiori down the Saints right to weave his way into the box, before his left-footed shot from the angle was deflected into the path of Mateus Fernandes. Stretching, and needing to leave the ground to make contact, the Portuguese’s volley beat David Raya but nestled on the roof of the net.

Cameron Archer opened his Premier League account for the season

Saints looked adventurous, and their new-found attacking intent paid off in devastating fashion on 55 minutes.

Fernandes, a livewire in midfield, dispossessed Sterling and drilled a ball over the top for Archer who had immediately set off into space. Taking a couple of touches to move into the box, the striker moved the ball onto his right foot and picked out the bottom corner with a clinical edge that suggested it was his 100th Saints goal rather than his first.

However, before the nervous murmurings around the Emirates could translate into an edgy feeling on the pitch, Arsenal hit back.

Raya’s net had barely finished rippling when a quick transition saw Saka feed Havertz, who expertly engineered a yard of space beyond Taylor Harwood-Bellis to drill a strike in off the post.

Sensing blood, Arteta introduced Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard and Martinelli on the hour mark, and it was the latter who made an instant impact.

Saka again the provider, this time curling in a custom-made cross for the Brazilian at the back post who volleyed past Ramsdale, with a lengthy VAR check for offside no saviour for Saints.

Saints came close to an equaliser before Saka's late goal

With the game turned on its head Martin reacted with changes of his own, swapping Manning and Fernandes for Adam Armstrong and Paul Onuachu, for his first Premier League appearance since May 2023.

As hinted at by the substitutes, Saints were sacrificing some defensive rigidity in search of a point you could argue was deserved, and twice the woodwork saved the hosts in the space of a minute.

With the final 10 minutes looming, Dibling’s jinking run culminated in a shot from 20 yards that deflected onto the outside of the post, with the resulting corner ending in Raya’s hands but only after the ball came back off the crossbar via Armstrong.

Any growing nerves around the Emirates were settled as stoppage time approached, however, when Saka went from provider to goal scorer by pouncing on a loose ball in the box to pick out the bottom corner with a first-time finish to wrap up the points, leaving Saints still winless and with a tinge of what could have been.

Arsenal: Raya, Partey, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori (Kiwior 89), Saka, Rice, Jorginho (c) (Merino 61), Sterling (Martinelli 60), Havertz, Jesus (Trossard 60).

Unused substitutes: Neto, Tomiyasu, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, Butler-Oyedeji.

Goals: Havertz 58, Martinelli 68, Saka 88.

Southampton: Ramsdale, Sugawara (Taylor 89), Harwoood-Bellis, Bednarek, Walker-Peters, Manning (Armstrong 74), Downes (c), Aribo, Fernandes (Onuachu 74), Dibling, Stewart (Archer 27).

Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Bree, Ugochukwu, Lallana, Brereton Díaz.

Goals: Archer 55.

Booked: Bednarek, Dibling.

Referee: Tony Harrington.