Arsenal dominated Southampton with Alexandre Lacazette and Henrikh Mkhitaryan on target in a 2-0 Premier League win.
2018/2019 Premier League
2-0
Match Events
Alexandre Lacazette and Henrikh Mkhitaryan were on target as Arsenal coasted past struggling Southampton 2-0 to move back into the Premier League's top four.
It took just six minutes for Lacazette to convert from Mkhitaryan's attempted shot and the latter turned home the dangerous Alex Iwobi's assist at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Lacazette wasted a couple of golden opportunities to stretch the lead before half-time and, while Arsenal's tempo noticeably dropped after the break, Unai Emery's side were in complete control.
Manchester United's goalless draw with rivals Liverpool consequently sends Arsenal back into the Champions League places, while Southampton remain mired in relegation trouble.
Player Ratings
Match Events
6' GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Southampton (Lacazette)
GOAL! 1-0 ARSENAL! Arsenal go straight up the other end and score! Iwobi gets free down the left and whips a cross in. Torreira is bundled over in the box by Stephens, and Mhkitaryan's shot is blocked, but the ball rolls to Lacazette at the back post who fires past Gunn.
17' GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Southampton (Mkhitaryan)
GOAL! 2-0 ARSENAL! Kolasinac is back on now, but Southampton have been architects of their own downfall. Stephens makes a poor back-pass to Gunn, Gunn hashes the clearance straight to Iwobi, and the winger curls a cross straight to the far side for Mhkitaryan to bang in.
41' Lacazette misses a golden chance!
Lichtsteiner skips past Hojbjerg on the right flank and fizzes a cross right into the corridor of uncertainty. Southampton panic and it rebounds to Kolasinac in the box. The Bosnian unselfishly lays off to Lacazette who blazes over from a few yards out!
52' NICE TRY! Ward-Prowse's shot wide out
Southampton continue to press. First, Valery has a deep cross cleared, then when Xhaka gives a sloppy pass away Ward-Prowse lets rip on the volley from outside the box. It flashes just wide of Leno's goal. A let-off for Arsenal.
86' GREAT CHANCE! Aubameyang's shot saved
Ozil plays a tasty backheel to set Aubameyang free down the left, but Aubameyang's cross with the outside of his foot takes a deflection off Vestergaard and it's a terrific stop by Gunn with his feet! Gunn's not been at fault for his team's likely defeat today.
89' SAVE! Leno denies Targett's volley
Ward-Prowse's corner is punched out but only as far as Targett lurking outside Arsenal's box. Targett fires a controlled left-footed volley towards goal but Leno pops up to tip it over! That's a smart save.
Line-ups
Arsenal XI: Leno, Lichtsteiner, Sokratis, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Ramsey, Torreira, Xhaka, Mkhitaryan, Lacazette, Iwobi.
Subs: Cech, Koscielny, Monreal, Ozil, Guendouzi, Suarez, Aubameyang.
Southampton XI: Gunn, Valery, Stephens, Vestergaard, Bednarek, Targett, Hojbjerg, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Redmond.
Subs: McCarthy, Yoshida, Bertrand, Slattery, Elyounoussi, Obafemi, Austin.