Arsenal Regains Top Four Spot

Arsenal punished struggling Southampton with two first-half goals to move back into the top four of the Premier League.

The Gunners led when Alexandre Lacazette reacted quickest to turn in Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s shot, with the Saints’ claims for offside proving futile.

And they doubled their lead shortly after when Mkhitaryan drilled a shot into the bottom corner.

Arsenal should have scored more in a dominant first half, but ultimately it mattered little as those goals were enough to move Unai Emery’s side above Manchester United, who drew at home to Liverpool.

Saints, who missed good chances through Nathan Redmond and Matt Targett before each of Arsenal’s goals, offered more resistance after the break.

But they remain in the bottom three, a point adrift of fourth-bottom Cardiff, after failing to win for a fourth successive league game.

Arsenal have struggled for consistency under Emery in the second half of the season, alternating between wins and defeats in each of their 10 previous matches before Southampton’s visit.

In truth, anything other than a home win against the Saints looked unlikely. However, Emery may be concerned with his side’s inability to demolish their lowly opponents.

The Gunners looked potent every time they burst forward, particularly in the first half, and in the closing stages, against a Southampton side which looked fragile at the back.

Lacazette was allowed the space to turn in the opener, with the visitors’ defence unorganised and too concerned about appealing for offside, for his 13th goal of the season.

After Mkhitaryan doubled the lead, the France striker should have added another but somehow scooped over the bar from a few yards out.

Arsenal’s dominance was illustrated by the 11 shots which they attempted in the first half, nine of which came from inside the Saints area