Advertisement

Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe keep Arsenal revival rolling against Southampton

Bukayo Saka of Arsenal scores and celebrates 1-2 - Peter Tarry/NMC Pool
Bukayo Saka of Arsenal scores and celebrates 1-2 - Peter Tarry/NMC Pool

In this most strange of seasons, Arsenal are beginning to provide one of the most unexpected of storylines. Only a few weeks ago they were in a state of collective despair, seemingly sliding towards a relegation battle and the premature end of Mikel Arteta’s reign. Now, after this battling win in the Southampton rain, they are flying up the Premier League table with a run of five victories from their last six games.

As has been the case ever since their resurgence started on Boxing Day, the brilliance of Bukayo Saka was at the heart of their best work. The 19-year-old is emerging as the offensive leader of this team, scoring the second here and then creating the third as he dragged his side forward.

Southampton ultimately had no answer to his invention, and for all their effort they could not overpower Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka in the Arsenal midfield. Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side has been severely weakened by injuries and, by the end, they looked physically spent. “We are running out of players,” said the Southampton manager afterwards.

Arteta had rotated his team for Saturday’s trip here in the FA Cup, partly through necessity and partly through choice, and he was vindicated. Arsenal were energetic and fresh, with Nicolas Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette proving able sidekicks to Saka in the continued absence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, missing again for personal reasons. “Auba is having a difficult time,” said Arteta. ”We are all behind him. This win was for him.”

The performance of Pepe, in particular, will be of huge encouragement to Arteta and his staff. The club’s record signing clearly needs to produce more, and he needs to do so on a consistent basis, but this was a good start: his early goal pulled them level after Stuart Armstrong’s opener, and he surged forward throughout the second half.

Southampton's Stuart Armstrong scores their side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at St Mary's Stadium, - Frank Augstein/PA
Southampton's Stuart Armstrong scores their side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at St Mary's Stadium, - Frank Augstein/PA

“He was really good,” Arteta said of Pepe. “He created big moments. He deserved his chance today and he took it. It is tough to win here. Southampton are strong and have been in form. There was a lot of intelligence and resilience from the team in the way they managed the game.”

If Pepe can start to contribute in the same manner as Saka has been, Arsenal could be some force by the spring. Lacazette, meanwhile, has come alive with the injection of youth around him. His goal here, a close-range finish, took his tally to 10 for the season.

Inevitably, it was Saka who supplied the cross for the Frenchman. “He has that character to demand the ball, to make decisions that are not very usual for his age,” said Arteta of his golden boy. “We need that leadership and he is gaining that with his attitude and his performances."

Having played out a relatively dull cup tie here on Saturday, the two teams seemed to decide that this was the night to go for it. Lacazette should have scored as early as the first minute, but instead fired at Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy instead of finding the net from Granit Xhaka’s pass.

 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal celebrates after scoring their team's third goal during the Premier League match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary's Stadium - Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal celebrates after scoring their team's third goal during the Premier League match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary's Stadium - Naomi Baker/Getty Images

The home side promptly went up the other end and took the lead from a familiar source of goals. James Ward-Prowse has caused no end of problems from set pieces this season and he was at it again here, curling a low corner into the path of Armstrong. With no one to stop him, Armstrong smashed the ball into the ground and up into Bernd Leno’s top corner.

“It looked good, but we were not good enough to defend in some moments,” said Hasnehuttl, who was forced to field backups in both full-back positions. “The levels were not perfect. We were not good enough today. It is not really enjoyable with so many injured players.”

Arsenal’s response was devastating as Armstrong's strike. Again it was Xhaka who sliced the Southampton defence apart, feeding the onrushing Pepe as Southampton were caught out. The finish was precise, bringing the second goal in just eight minutes, and from there it was a furious, engaging first half.

Southampton had the best of the chances, with Che Adams and Armstrong going close, but they were soon exposed by pace and ability of young Saka, stepping up once again for his side and rounding McCarthy before finishing into an empty net.

In the second half Southampton had no choice but to push. They lacked conviction, though, and they left space in behind. Cedric Soares soon played a glorious switch to Saka, who did what he always does by finding the right pass at the right time.

Lacazette was charging in at the back post to tap in the third and keep this run going for an Arsenal side that is building genuine momentum. “It was a strong performance,” said a delighted Arteta. “We were good from the start.”


10:10 PM

Full time SOU 1 ARS 3

Fine win for Arsenal and well-deserved, one of their best and most enjoyable victories of the season. Saints started brightly but faded as Arsenal played them at their own game. Sam Dean is at St Mary's and his report will appear above these updates in five minutes or so.


10:08 PM

90+4 min SOU 1 ARS 3

Excellent performance by Arsenal, this. By no means error free but the tactics have been spot-on, they have tired Southampton out and have been clinical in taking their chances. Southampton have badly missed their regular full-backs and look in need of a rest.


10:05 PM

90+2 min SOU 1 ARS 3

Willock comes on for Pepe just after Valery launches himself at a sliding tackle on Willian and bundles him over.


10:04 PM

90 min SOU 1 ARS 3

Watts treads on Elneny's foot as both substitutes go after a bouncing ball in the centre-circle. Elneny gives him an earful and the referee comes over to book the Southampton man.

Five minutes of injury time to come.


10:01 PM

88 min SOU 1 ARS 3

Holding reads the danger well to head Valery's right-wing cross behind then heads Ward-Prowse's corner away.


09:59 PM

86 min SOU 1 ARS 3

Southampton free-kick, 22-yards out, to the right of the D, the kind of area in which JW-P has planted his flag. Xhaka's foul gave it away but Leno lines up his wall perfectly to protect the left side of his goal he dives to his right to push the goal-bound shot away from danger.


09:58 PM

84 min SOU 1 ARS 3

Two bad mistakes from David Luiz, first to lose the ball in halfway and then, after Adams cuts in from the right, he tries to shepherd the ball back to Leno and, having first been bailed out by Holding, now has his goalkeeper to thank when his dummy is read by Adams who stabs the ball away and Leno has to dive at his feet to smother it and risk a kicking.


09:56 PM

81 min SOU 1 ARS 3

Ralph Hasenhuttl is not happy, stalking his technical area, gesticulating and shouting. Saints look tired. It kind of backs up Arteta's rotation on Saturday but it was an anti-glory ploy in jeopardising their chances of defending the FA Cup.


09:53 PM

79 min SOU 1 ARS 3

Apologies for the scant, recent updates. Had first serious broadband outage in 10 months of working from home. Had to fire up the dongle.


09:52 PM

78 min SOU 1 ARS 3

Thomas Partey, who has had a fine game, has cramp and limps off. Arteta sends on Elneny in his stead.


09:51 PM

75 min SOU 1 ARS 3

Double Souhampton substitution, Watts and N’Lundulu replace Walcott and Ings.


09:50 PM

73 min SOU 1 ARS 3

Cedric, who has been outstanding tonight, plays a wonderful pass with his right foot from the left to Saka bombing down the right. Saka rolls it across the six-yard box with his right and Lacazette pounces at the far post to stab the bobbling ball past McCarthy.


09:46 PM

GOAL!!

Southampton 1-3 Arsenal (Lacazette)


09:45 PM

70 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Pepe, who was about to be substituted, was booked for walking off too slowly. But with Smith Rowe unable to continue, Willian comes on for him and Pepe stays on.


09:43 PM

69 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Length break while Smith Rowe receives treatment for a lower, right leg injury.

Redmond replaces Vokins for Southampton.


09:40 PM

66 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Ings tries to Ricky Villa his way through the box from the left of the D, tacking this way and that, dribbling past Thomas, Bellerin and Holding who don't want to give him the opportunity to go over. But as he approaches the byline and realises he's left it too late to pull the trigger, he runs out of road.


09:38 PM

64 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Valery stands up a cross that balloons off Bellerin and Leno has to run out to punch hard to stop Adams and/or Ings gobbling it up.


09:37 PM

61 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Saka storms down the right again, cuts in on his left, natch, and whips a shot from 22 yards which irks Lacazette who would have had something close to a tap-in had he been picked out.


09:33 PM

59 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Both Southampton replacement full-backs have been good going forward and I think their problems have been exacerbated by the lack of orthodox wide midfielders to help them out when attacked. Vokins flies down the left and sends over a good cross that Cedric wisely decides to head behind. David Luiz rises to head JW-P's typical doodlebug corner away.


09:30 PM

56 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Dangerous cross from Bellerin as once more an Arsenal wide player gets the better of the replacement full-backs. He whips over the centre and Pepe lifts up his left leg at the near post and hooks it behind him, essentially taking it off Lacazette's head as the centre-forward stooped to connect.


09:28 PM

54 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Nice right-foot pass in from the left upfield by Cedric sends Smith Rowe clear down the inside-left channel. McCarthy sprints out and Smith Rowe rolls it to his right, beating the keeper but without the power to beat the retreating defenders who clear.


09:26 PM

52 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Vokins, having let Saka go, dives in to bring him down with a stud on his ankle, his foot lancing out to trip him. Smith Rowe takes the free-kick, whipping it across to the near post where Southammpton bundle it away and Adams is fouled.


09:24 PM

50 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Walcott fizzes a right-foot riser from the right of the D, having been set up by Armstrong's crafty run in from the left. Walcott connects perfectly but he slams it straight at Leno who batters it down rather than risk catching sucj a crisply struck wet ball.


09:22 PM

48 min SOU 1 ARS 2

It continues to rain, forming a fine mist over the pictures. Adams wants a free-kick when he has a tussle with Partey and Bellerin but Kevin Friend awards Arsenal a throw as the half continues scrappily.


09:19 PM

46 min SOU 1 ARS 2

No half-time changes, the lack of which for Southampton surprises Martin Keown. Arsenal pen Southampton in their own half until Walcott barrels forward, bouncing off Pepe, and wins a throw.


09:07 PM

Half-time SOU 1 ARS 2

Good fightback by Arsenal who began sluggishly but have been excellent in countering Saints' press with their own snappy, high pressing dynamism. Both defences look vulnerable and the midfield string-pullers - Ward-Prowse and, to an extent, Xhaka - are being ably assisted by the forward-running of Armstrong, Arsenal's more orthodox wide men and the excellent Smith Rowe.

Here's Saints first ... Arsenal's second is above, at the top.

Stuart Armstrong of Southampton scores their team's first gaol past Bernd Leno of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary's Stadium - Frank Augstein/Pool-Getty Images
Stuart Armstrong of Southampton scores their team's first gaol past Bernd Leno of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary's Stadium - Frank Augstein/Pool-Getty Images

09:03 PM

45+2 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Quick break from Arsenal with Pepe sending Cedric to the byline down the left. No doubt Saints' defence has been affected by the loss of their starting full-backs. Bednarek yells across at Valery for allowing Cedric to go but he had his hands full with Pepe. Bednarek himself has to block the cross out for a corner which eventually comes to naught.


09:01 PM

45 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Ward-Prowse whips a deep right-foot cross from the right but Holding and Leno get there before Ings and clear as Southampton pin them into their half. The board signals two minutes of injury time.


08:59 PM

43 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Lacazette wants a penalty for a bump in the box which certainly tipped him off balance a touch but did not have the force to leave him face-planted into the turf. VAR has a look and takes no further action.

Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe scores their side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at St Mary's Stadium - Frank Augstein/PA
Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe scores their side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at St Mary's Stadium - Frank Augstein/PA

08:57 PM

41 min SOU 1 ARS 2

Terrific assist from Lacazette with a diagonal pass laced from inside-left to inside-right diagonally. Saka races on to it and sees McCarthy scrambling out. Saka's velvety touch cushions the pass then taps it to the right, turns on the blistering pace to leave McCarthy gasping and then rolls the ball into the empty net with his winger, his right foot, from 18 yards. Remarkable composure.


08:55 PM

GOAL!!

Southampton 1-2 Arsenal (Saka)


08:54 PM

38 min SOU 1 ARS 1

David Luiz casually volleys a clearance off a long ball straight at Walcott just inside the Arsenal half. Even with a a 15-yard start Luiz can't catch him but his pass, intended for Ings, is awful and he lets Arsenal off the hook.


08:53 PM

36 min SOU 1 ARS 1

Armstrong drives down the inside-left channel, going in to out and should pick out Ings but having done wonderfully to beat Bellerin and get in behind, he messes up a standard left-foot square ball.


08:51 PM

33 min SOU 1 ARS 1

Lacazette makes the run down the right and Bellerin plays him in behind the Saints' defence, one 50-yard pass isolating six players. Lacazette doesn't have the searing pace to make it into the box unmolested so cuts it back for Saka's run through the D but it's behind his team-mate and Valery has the good judgment to come all the way over from the other wing to snaffle it and move it away.


08:48 PM

31 min SOU 1 ARS 1

It's absolutely pelting it down as Arsenal play it up the left for Pepe but Vaery and Ward-Prowse shut him down and earn a throw-in down by the right corner flag.


08:46 PM

29 min SOU 1 ARS 1

Armstrong cuts in from the left across the 18-yard line and goes for a right-foot, Thierry Henry special banana shot but it is far too straight, more cucumber as it keeps going past Leno's left post.


08:45 PM

26 min SOU 1 ARS 1

Smith Rowe, Saka, Lacazette and Pepe are tigerishly pressing the Saints' back four trying to force them to lump it. Instead they chip it up to Adams who cushions it with a silky cushioned-instep flick to Ings. He looks up and sees Valery cutting on off the right wing and pings the diagonal pass into his path. Valery takes a touch then wraps his left foot around a shot that sails over the angle of bar and post.


08:41 PM

24 min SOU 1 ARS 1

Fine save from Leno to stop Armstrong's bullet near-post header, diving low to his right to jam the ball out by the post. Bellerin let Vokins in behind him too easily there and David Luiz lost Adams' run across him.


08:39 PM

22 min SOU 1 ARS 1

Holding wedges a 30-yard pass over Southampton's advancing defensive line and Saka times his run perfectly to burst through but has no one in support and has to allow the defence time to come back s he waits for a target.

A minute later Smith Rowe sprints off Valery's shoulder but can't quite make it on to the ball before McCarthy and Bednarek get there to deal with it.


08:36 PM

20 min SOU 1 ARS 1

Saka again breaks the lines down the right, floating into that gap between Diallo and Stephens. He checks back in the box to roll the ball ebhidn him for Bellerin but his cross is too floaty and, as such, Saints get rid.


08:35 PM

17 min SOU 1 ARS 1

Arsenal are pressing hard but retain their endemic lack of concentration at the back when allowing Walcott through on the right when his touch deserts him and he scuffs his shot. Good pass from Adams. Partey and Xhaka are playing well in midfield but need to be alert at all times.


08:33 PM

14 min SOU 1 ARS 1

Apologies - having significant problems with the stream. Cedric comes in from the left on to his right against his old club and almost emulates the Franny Lee 'just look at his face' moment on his return but the shot, arrowing for the top right-hand corner, just drifts away at the death.


08:28 PM

11 min SOU 1 ARS 1

Diallo is brought down by Lacazette in the centre-circle as the livewire midfielder threatened to hare away from him. Free kick. Arsenal smother their progress up the right.


08:26 PM

9 min SOU 1 ARS 1

Arsenal harass Stephens as he tries to play the ball out from the back in the left-sided centre-back position. forcing him to misplace a pass into midfield. Arsenal, who are playing Saints at their own snappy game, win the ball back and Xhaka plays a gorgeous pass up the inside-left channel where Pepe darts through, holds off Bednarek and drills a fine, left-foot shot across McCarthy and in at the far corner.


08:24 PM

GOAL!!

Southampton 1 Arsenal 1 (Pepe)


08:22 PM

6 min SOU 1 ARS 0

Arsenal respond quickly, sending Saka down the right and he diddles and dazzles Vokins with step-overs and feints then sprints into the box but, because he's all left foot, he has to open up his stance which gives Stephens just enough time to block the cross/shot. Arsenal corner.


08:21 PM

4 min SOU 1 ARS 0

Special teams supremo James Ward-Prowse bends a free-kick, low towards the D. Rip van Pepe has a doze and allows Armstrong to waltz past and smash a wonderful half-volley from 15 yards past Leno, who almost got there, and into the goal to the keeper's left.


08:19 PM

GOAL!!

Southampton 1 Arsenal 0 (Armstrong)


08:19 PM

3 min SOU 0 ARS 0

Valery tears down the right, burns past Cedric and whips over a near-post cross that Ings should bury but he glances it and it strikes Holding and goes behind for a corner.


08:18 PM

1 min SOU 0 ARS 0

After taking the knee, Southampton kick off. A storm sweeps the ground as Bednarek clips a 40-yard ball and Saints push up to chase, earning the throw-in from the defensive header.

Terrible pass from Bednarek out form the back is picked off by Xhaka who slips it up to Lacazette who storms down the inside-left and goes one-on-one with McCarthy but his shot is too close to the keeper who dives to his left to save, What a chance.


08:13 PM

Arsenal come out first

And line up, waiting for Southampton. Arsenal are in blue and pink. Southampton in the sash Derek Dougan's father never wore.


08:07 PM

Arteta speaks

It’s always strange to play the same team twice in a short period. I think it’s the same feeling for both of us. It’s what the fixtures have given us, so we’ll try to do our best and win.

07:32 PM

And now for those of you watching in black and white

Southampton McCarthy; Valery, Bednarek, Stephens, Vokins; Armstrong, Diallo Ward-Prowse, Walcott; Adams, Ings.
Subs Forster, Watts, Long, Redmond, Ramsay, N’Lundulu, Ferry, Jankewitz, Chauke.

Arsenal Leno; Bellerin, Holding, David Luiz, Cedric; Partey, Xhaka; Pepe, Smith-Rowe, Saka; Lacazette.
Subs Ryan, Gabriel, Willian, Maitland-Niles, Chambers, Elneny, Willock, Nketiah, Martinelli.

Referee Kevin Friend (Leicesters).


07:18 PM

Pepe retains his place for Arsenal


07:17 PM

Yan Valery and Jake Vokins in for Saints


06:57 PM

Good evening

And welcome to coverage of Arsenal's visit to Southampton for the second time in four days after their scratch side were knocked out of the FA Cup by Saints by virtue of Gabriel's own goal. Southampton started the day in 10th, that excellent victory over Liverpool their only win in their last six. Arsenal, who started this round of fixtures one place and two points behind in 11th, Saturday's backward step notwithstanding, are still riding the crest of their revival with four wins, a defeat (by Everton) and a draw since they drew 1-1 with Southampton in mid December plus four successive clean sheets.

There have been some cracking encounters between the two at St Mary's and the Dell, featuring Cuco Martina's scorcher in the 4-0 demolition in 2015, Matt Le Tissier (who else?) bringing down the curtain on their old home with an 89th-minute winner in 2001, Paul Merson's stunning near-post half-volley in the 3-1 victory in the spring of 1989 that stopped a wobble and kept Arsenal on track for the title and the 2-0 victory in 2001 en route to their second Double when for the first time in 16 years and 621 league games, there was no David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Steve Bould or Nigel Winterburn in the squad.

Ryan Bertrand and Kyle Walker-Peters, both of whom played on Saturday are out - the left-back is suspended and the right-back injured.Nathan Redmond is available and will be on the bench, according to Ralph Hasenhuttl and yesterday's press conference. Jannik Vestergaard, Oriol Romeu and Moussa Djenepo are all out for at least another week while there's still no return date for Michael Obafemi.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is unavailable for 'family reasons', Kieran Tierney, one of the driving forces behind the upswing, is touch and go with a calf strain while Pablo Mari and Dani Ceballos are, in the words of Mikel Arteta, progressing well towards being fit for the weekend but will not be risked tonight.

We will have the team news at 7.15pm.