Match ends, Southampton 0, Arsenal 2.
Arsenal kept alive their hopes of a top-four Premier League finish as second-half goals from Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud earned victory at Southampton.
After a dull first half, Sanchez produced a moment of magic to open the scoring when the Chilean wrong-footed two defenders in the box before calmly slotting home.
Substitute Giroud then made the win safe by nodding in from close range minutes after coming onto the pitch.
Mid-table Southampton rarely threatened. Their best chance came in the first half when Manolo Gabbiadini forced a fine save out of Petr Cech from close range, and they stay 10th.
The win means Arsenal move above Manchester United into fifth, three points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.
Relive Arsenal's win at Southampton
Sanchez saves Arsenal in 'must-win' game
An awful run of form from January until early April had seriously threatened to end Arsene Wenger's record of securing a top four finish in every season he has had at Arsenal.
However, four wins in their six games prior to the trip to St Mary's had given hope that the season would not peter out.
In what was a must-win game, Arsenal's players initially failed to rise to the challenge.
They were ponderous in possession and lacked bite in attack. Too often they played passes square just inside the Southampton half before gifting possession back to the hosts when they approached the final third.
But in Sanchez they possess a player capable of producing something from nothing and that is exactly what he did midway through the second half.
His goal, which came after he sold two Southampton players a dummy to give himself a clear shot on goal, visibly relaxed Arsenal and from then on they played with confidence and freedom, allowing them to open up the hosts for a second time when Giroud headed in Aaron Ramsey's cross.
The only negative for Arsenal was the loss of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to injury in the second half, although Wenger suggested it was not serious.
Sanchez has now scored 20 goals this season, making him only the fifth Arsenal player to reach that mark, after Ian Wright, Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie.
It was also his 14th away from home - more than another Premier League player has managed this campaign.
Victory not only moves Arsenal, who face Chelsea in the FA Cup final later this month, to within one win of Manchester City, but also four points behind Liverpool, who have played a game more.
In a season that has seen protests against Wenger and some fans calling for the Frenchman to leave, the possibility they could finish with FA Cup success and a place in the top four is a very real one.
Arsenal's 2016-17 run-in | |
---|---|
Sat 13 May | Stoke (A) |
Tue 16 May | Sunderland (H) |
Sun 21 May | Everton (H) |
Sat 27 May | Chelsea (FA Cup final) |
Puel under pressure?
Southampton boss Claude Puel's long-term future is reportedly uncertain, with the Frenchman yet to show signs of taking the club forward since replacing Ronald Koeman last summer.
Saints did reach the final of the League Cup but have been firmly ensconced in mid-table in the Premier League this season, a disappointment having finished sixth last year.
The Gunners brushed aside Southampton 5-0 in the FA Cup in January and the hosts never looked like gaining revenge in this fixture.
Once again, Southampton were weak in attack. They had two shots on target in this game and have now managed just 12 shots on target across their last six Premier League games.
With Saints struggling for goals and key players like defender Virgil van Dijk said to be attracting interest from other clubs, Puel - if he is still at the club - faces a challenging summer of improving the squad to get them moving in the right direction once again.
Man of the match - Alexis Sanchez
We stuck together - what they said
Southampton manager Claude Puel speaking to Match of the Day: "It's often the same against the big six. We cannot find a win. Every time we play good quality football with chances but without the clinical edge and it's harsh on the players.
"For me, we deserved at minimum a draw and maybe a win. For them, in one situation, they scored. It's difficult to accept."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said: "We were focused and I felt that when we suffered we stuck together.
"We have another clean sheet and I know we can go forward and score goals. The whole team was dynamic, focused and showed a convincing desire to win the game."
Arsenal end Southampton hoodoo - the stats
- Arsenal ended a run of five winless Premier League games at St Mary's, claiming their first win there since December 2003.
- This is Sanchez's best ever league goal return in the top five European leagues, beating his previous best of 19 in 2013-14 with Barcelona.
- The Gunners have won four of their past five Premier League games (L1) since adopting a three-man defence.
- Southampton have had 29 shots in their last three Premier League games without scoring.
- Olivier Giroud has six Premier League substitute goals this season - only Adam Le Fondre (eight in 2012-13) has more in a single campaign than the Frenchman.
- Giroud's goal was his 100th in the top-flight of European football (33 in Ligue 1, 67 in the Premier League).
What next?
Southampton, who cannot finish higher than eighth, travel to already-relegated Middlesbrough on Saturday, 13 May (15:00 BST).
Arsenal, meanwhile, continue their bid to break into the top four with a trip to Stoke in Saturday's evening kick-of (17:30).
Line-ups
Southampton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Forster
- 2Cédric Soares
- 24Stephens
- 3Yoshida
- 21Bertrand
- 8Davis
- 14Romeu
- 16Ward-ProwseBooked at 44minsSubstituted forBoufalat 70'minutes
- 11TadicSubstituted forRodríguezat 80'minutes
- 22RedmondSubstituted forLongat 70'minutes
- 20Gabbiadini
Substitutes
- 7Long
- 9Rodríguez
- 12Cáceres
- 19Boufal
- 23Højbjerg
- 26Pied
- 40Hassen
Arsenal
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 33Cech
- 16Holding
- 20Mustafi
- 18Monreal Eraso
- 15Oxlade-ChamberlainSubstituted forBellerínat 36'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 8Ramsey
- 29Xhaka
- 3Gibbs
- 11ÖzilBooked at 73minsSubstituted forCoquelinat 89'minutes
- 7Sánchez
- 23WelbeckSubstituted forGiroudat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Gabriel
- 12Giroud
- 13Ospina
- 14Walcott
- 17Iwobi
- 24Bellerín
- 34Coquelin
- Referee:
- Jonathan Moss
- Attendance:
- 31,474
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home47%
- Away53%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away4
- Corners
- Home5
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away5
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Southampton 0, Arsenal 2.
Booking
Héctor Bellerín (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Rob Holding.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Manolo Gabbiadini (Southampton) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jay Rodriguez.
Post update
Francis Coquelin (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Shane Long (Southampton).
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Francis Coquelin replaces Mesut Özil.
Post update
Attempt missed. Sofiane Boufal (Southampton) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Oriol Romeu.
Post update
Foul by Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal).
Post update
Shane Long (Southampton) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Goal!
Goal! Southampton 0, Arsenal 2. Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Aaron Ramsey with a headed pass.
Post update
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Jack Stephens.
Post update
Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Oriol Romeu (Southampton).
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Olivier Giroud replaces Danny Welbeck.
Substitution
Substitution, Southampton. Jay Rodriguez replaces Dusan Tadic.
Post update
Attempt missed. Sofiane Boufal (Southampton) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Post update
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Oriol Romeu.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Comments
Join the conversation
Hahahaha
You always do this, it's a real problem.
Oh my goodness.
Understand our annoyance please.
After each game.
Really poor comments.
Everyone is fed up of you.
All of us.
Please stop making ridiculous comments.
Really, you have to ruin each and every HYS.
I know others feel this way.
Can't you just offer meaningful comments?
Knowledge is not your strongest suit!
You have a loyal Manager !
You are in the cup final !
You will finish between 6 / 3 !
You have a lovely new ground !
You have won things over the years !
And you are still moaning ? what is wrong with you all ? try thinking our lucky you are, lots of other fans would be very happy with your lot !
2.. Spurs
3.. Man City
4.. Arsenal
Yep.. I can live with that.
Maureen off to Matalan to by a new zip up 'designer' sweater for Thursday night
Just more of the BBC's shoddiness together with their constant negativity directed at Arsenal. A match report that doesn't actually report on the match, just more opinion and a cursory line or two on the actual game - 5 words to cover 45 minutes of football..!
Sanchez didn't "save" us - it was a good away performance, patient and took our chances when they came.
How are Sunderland fans feeling etc.
BBC you are not very good at sport anymore, get over it and move into left wing politics where you now belong.
1. Chelsea
2. Tottenham
3. Liverpool
4. Man City
5. Arsenal
6. Man Utd
7. Everton
8. West Brom
9. Leicester City
10. Southampton
11. Bournemouth
12. West Ham
13. Stoke
14. Burnley
15. Watford
16. Crystal Palace
17. Swansea
18. Hull
19. Middlesbrough
20. Sunderland
I just think that Sunderland aren't gonna get the points they need
The silver lining of Arsenal finishing 4th is that it hopefully will result in Wenger staying another year or two. Arsenal fans are divided on him, but the rest of us aren't.
Arsenal looked for all money to miss its coveted 4th spot but has hit some form. Meanwhile L'pool looks bereft of ideas on how to score lately. Considering L'pool only has one game a week, its flatness is hard to understand. Arsenal playing catch up games & look much fresher. Form is a funny thing.
Pogba is just slightly better than Fellini most overrated player ever.