Arsenal continued their excellent momentum in the Premier League by securing a comfortable 3-1 win over Southampton. The Gunners weren’t at their best early on in the game, conceding a goal in the third minute. They were quick to respond, though, with Nicolas Pepe even equalising in the eighth minute and looked much more settled as the game progressed. In the end, the visitors sealed a convincing victory thanks to second-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Alexandre Lacazette.
Arsenal Player Ratings Vs Southampton
Bernd Leno 8/10
Bernd Leno may have failed to keep out Stuart Armstrong’s lethal strike early on in the game, but he eventually had an excellent game in between the sticks. Few of his world-class saves were crucial in denying the Saints any way back into the game.
Hector Bellerin 7.5/10
Hector Bellerin fared well in the right-back position. He looked reliable in the possession and did well defensively for the most part of the game.
Rob Holding 7.5/10
Rob Holding had a good game in the backline. His physical and aerial presence made it difficult for the likes of Che Adams and Danny Ings to make an impact in the Arsenal half.
David Luiz 7/10
David Luiz looked sloppy a few times and gave the ball way, leading to promising Southampton attacks. He was decent during the remainder of the game, soldering on despite picking up a late knock.
Cedric Soares 9/10
Cedric was one of the best performers for Arsenal in this fixture. The Portuguese international looked much more comfortable in the left-back position, producing a host of excellent balls going forward. It was his cross-field pass that led to Lacazette’s late goal while the fullback also defended admirably.
Granit Xhaka 8.5/10
Granit Xhaka had a promising start to the game, with a couple of his forward passes leading to excellent chances. Looked very assured in possession, helping Arsenal dominate the game in the second half.
Thomas Partey 8/10
With Xhaka performing well, Thomas Partey had a good game in central midfield. The Ghanaian international’s ability to sense danger led to a few turnovers in the middle of the park. Was outshone by Xhaka, though.
Bukayo Saka 8.5/10
Bukayo Saka was the most menacing Arsenal attacker in the final third. He provided the penetration whenever he had the ball, notably scoring the second goal while providing the assist for the third goal.
Emile Smith Rowe 7/10
Emile Smith Rowe offered a lot of intricate movements in the final third for Arsenal. It kept the Southampton defenders on their toes, ultimately allowing more space for his teammates.
Nicolas Pepe 7.5/10
Nicolas Pepe was extremely lively in the first twenty minutes of the game, with the winger notably producing an excellent finish to score the equaliser. His influence waned eventually, and the attacker was rather unlucky to pick up an undeserved yellow card.
Alexandre Lacazette 10/10
Alexandre Lacazette was arguably the best performer for Arsenal yet again. The Frenchman missed a glorious opportunity in the first minute of the game but provided the assist for the first and second goal before netting the third with a tap-in from close range.
SUBSTITUTES
Willian 6/10
Replaced Smith Rowe during the final phase of the game, much to the misfortune of Gabriel Martinelli, who was initially going to come on at the expense of Pepe.
Mohamed Elneny N/A
A late replacement for Partey.
Joe Willock N/A
A late replacement for Pepe.
