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Southampton logo
Premier League | Gameweek 20
Jan 26, 2021 at 8.15pm UK
St Mary's Stadium
Arsenal logo

Southampton
1 - 3
Arsenal

Armstrong (3')
Watts (90')
FT(HT: 1-2)
Pepe (8'), Saka (39'), Lacazette (72')
Bellerin (19'), Pepe (70')

Arsenal avenge FA Cup exit with dominant win at Southampton

The victory was the first time this season the Gunners had overturned a deficit in the Premier League.

Arsenal came from behind for the first time in a Premier League game this season to beat Southampton and move to within five points of the top four.

The Gunners saw their defence of the FA Cup end with a fourth-round defeat at St Mary’s on Saturday but they returned three days later to record a 3-1 victory.

Southampton looked on course to see off the visitors once more as Stuart Armstrong fired them ahead with a fine third-minute volley.

But Arsenal would go in ahead at the break as Nicolas Pepe and Bukayo Saka struck, with Alexandre Lacazette making sure of the points.

The win moves Mikel Arteta’s side above Southampton and up to eighth in the table, just five points behind London rivals West Ham – who occupy fourth place after a win at Crystal Palace earlier in the evening.

Arteta was still unable to call on captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who remains absent due to a personal matter, but he made five changes from Saturday as Saka and Lacazette scored on their recalls.

Lacazette should have opened the scoring inside 50 seconds but could not beat Alex McCarthy in the Southampton goal having been played in by Granit Xhaka.

Southampton v Arsenal – Premier League – St Mary’s Stadium
Stuart Armstrong fired Southampton into an early lead (Frank Augstein/PA)

Instead, Saints would hit the front from a well-worked corner as James Ward-Prowse crossed in for an unmarked Armstrong to thrash home a superb finish.

The visitors did not allow their heads to drop and were level soon after, Pepe – who had let Armstrong run off him to score – made amends by collecting another good Xhaka pass and holding off his man to equalise.

With both sides looking to take the lead, Bernd Leno made a fine stop to keep out a Che Adams header.

It would be Arsenal who led at the break as Lacazette slipped a ball through to Saka, who rounded the onrushing McCarthy with ease and showed good composure to slot in his fifth of the season.

Southampton v Arsenal – Premier League – St Mary’s Stadium
Alexandre Lacazette scored Arsenal’s third goal (Frank Augstein/PA)

The England international would then set up the third, latching onto an inch-perfect crossfield pass from Cedric Soares and crossing for Lacazette to tap in.

The win is a fifth from Arsenal’s last six Premier League games following the turnaround in form which started with a Boxing Day victory over Chelsea.

Arteta refused to be drawn on his ambitions for the season the last time he spoke to the media but, with high-flying Manchester United next up at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, this win certainly means the Spaniard will continue to look up, rather than down.

Conversely, Southampton slip to 11th and have now won just one of their last seven in the league following their fine start to the campaign.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014


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