Arsenal 3-0 Southampton
by Layth Yousif
at Ashburton Grove

ARSENAL cruised to a 3-0 victory over an underwhelming Southampton at a wet Ashburton Grove on Saturday afternoon. 

First half goals from Alex Lacazette after emphatically finishing sweeping move with aplomb, and Martin Odegaard put the Gunners in command before Gabriel added a third after the break. 

The home side also hit the post twice through Gabi Martinelli and Bukayo Saka in a convincing display. 

While the Saints were uninspiring at times, home keeper Aaron Ramsdale was in fine form to repel the visitors and keep a clean sheet. 

The victory boosted boss Mikel Arteta after three disappointing defeats in the last four games. “I’m very pleased,” he said following the game, adding: “After a difficult period, we had two defeats where I don’t think we deserved to lose the games but we did.

“We started the game a little bit nervy, you could tell that we were carrying that feeling still, but we finished strong.”

Discussing Lacazette’s opening goal, he said: “That’s our identity, the way we want to play, it’s not possible to score all the goals like that. But that’s the direction we want to take.

“I am very happy. It’s a contribution from the whole game, what is required in every moment and then the execution and that’s what we’ve been lacking a little bit, because the intention is there, it’s just doing it more consistently.

“You could see that the team wanted to keep attacking, hit the post twice, a goal disallowed.”

Captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 32, was omitted from the squad because of “a disciplinary breach,” confirmed Arteta.

Aubameyang, 32, was a late substitute in Monday’s defeat by Everton at Goodison Park and was expected to play a part against the Saints, but was not in the squad. 

Arteta added: “That’s a non-negotiable and when that happens he’s out of the team. I think we have been very consistent, that we have certain non-negotiables in the team that we have set ourselves as a club.”