Arsenal 3-2 Southampton: Stephens sees red in spirited Saints performance

Southampton were defeated 3-2 by Arsenal on Sunday afternoon as defensive frailties ultimately undid their good work for much of the match.

Shane Long opened the scoring for the Saints, but goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Danny Welbeck put Arsenal ahead. Substitute Charlie Austin levelled the game a minute after coming on, but Welbeck’s second saw the Gunners snatch the three points.

Jack Stephens and Mohamed Elneny also received late red cards, and Stephens is likely to miss three vital matches of Southampton’s run-in.

After a terrible display at West Ham last weekend, Mark Hughes reverted to defensive solidity for this game with a 5-4-1 formation. Maya Yoshida, Oriol Romeu, James Ward-Prowse and Shane Long all came in in the hope of providing some fresh faces ahead of the final games of the season.

Hughes’ side made a bright start to the match and could have gone ahead early on. A lofted ball forward found Dusan Tadic who then cut back to James Ward-Prowse, but his shot was cleared off the line with Petr Cech stranded.

The type of deep defence that was to be deployed by the Saints during the game was evident in the opening quarter, but the equally important and fast counter attacking style produced the game’s first goal.

Tadic and Cedric worked space for a cross, and the eventual delivery from the latter produced some hesitancy in the Arsenal back-line. Shane Long got across Shkodran Mustafi and flicked the ball into the far corner after 17 minutes well to claim only his second goal in 48 appearances for club and country.

The lead would only last 12 minutes however, and it was Aubameyang who drew Arsenal level. Southampton defenders held back their challenges and allowed the ball to squeeze through to the Gabon international, and he poked an effort underneath the despairing dive of Alex McCarthy.

Sadly, Southampton’s good early work was undone completely as Danny Welbeck put the Gunners in front. He collected the ball on the left of the box and stepped inside some half-hearted tackles before seeing his shot deflect in off of Maya Yoshida.

Saints were perhaps guilty of their old habits under previous boss Mauricio Pellegrino and sitting back on a lead when they ought to be taking the game to their opponents whilst on top in the game.

A positive result was still there for the away side to take back to the South Coast though, and the game seemed to be in the balance early in the second period.

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Alex McCarthy was forced into good early work by long range Granit Xhaka and Alex Iwobi strikes, and Saints had Hojbjerg and Hoedt efforts well kept out.

Shane Long was proving a nuisance for the Arsenal defenders to deal with, and he would go close to equalising. Cedric tried his luck from range and the Irishman diverted the ball into the corner of the net, only to then be rightly brought back for offside.

With his side needing a vital goal, Hughes switched defender for attacker as Charlie Austin came on in place of Maya Yoshida; and the change payed immediate dividends.

The revitalised Cedric danced past challenges in the box and crossed low to the predatory Austin on the penalty spot, and he had the simple task of tapping in to level the game going into the final stages.

As so often this season however, slack defending from the Saints backline lost the game. Alex Iwobi was allowed time to pick his cross to the back post, and Welbeck climbed highest to power his header in at close range.

More drama was to come as Saints  pushed men forward. Jack Stephens was tugged back so vigorously by Jack Wilshere that his shirt tore, but then reacted badly by lashing out at the England interntional. He was shown a straight red, and Mohamed Elneny also received his marching orders in the following fracas.

All in all, a much more spirited and determined performance from Saints but their defensive problems have ultimately left them with an uphill task to avoid the drop come the end of the season.