By Daily sports on December 17, 2020

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hopes a draw with Southampton will prove the start of his side's recovery after they ended a three-match losing run in the Premier League despite going down to 10 men.

Theo Walcott opened the scoring for the in-form Saints on his return to his former club with a delightful dink over onrushing goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

But Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finished smartly after the break to level as Arsenal ended a run of 797 minutes in the Premier League without a goal from open play.

However, the Gunners’ ill-discipline cost them once again as Gabriel was sent off after being booked twice in four minutes.

Substitute Nathan Redmond struck the crossbar soon after as Southampton pressed for a winner that would have moved them briefly top of the league.

The visitors could not make their pressure pay and almost conceded at the other end late on when Rob Holding’s header also rattled the woodwork.

The draw lifts Southampton above Leicester City into third, while Arteta’s side remain 15th in what is Arsenal’s worst start to a top-flight campaign since the 1974-75 season.

“We showed some resilience and character to hang in there for so long against a really dangerous team,” said Arteta.

“We came back after conceding the goal and showed how much we wanted it.”

Asked if the manner of the fightback could start a recovery, Arteta added: “I agree, yes, because if you lose that game at the end it would have been really difficult to take.”

Indiscipline costs Arsenal once more

Arteta has said his side cannot hide and “have to take the bullets” amid their worst start to a season for 46 years – what he did not want was another red card.

The hosts were starting to build some momentum after Aubameyang combined with Eddie Nketiah to finish coolly following smart footwork from Bukayo Saka.

But within 10 minutes they were down to 10 men, as Gabriel picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Walcott – Arsenal’s seventh sending-off in the Premier League since Arteta took charge in December last year.

It was also a third red card in five matches for Arsenal and Arteta said afterwards he wanted to change Gabriel after his first booking, but did not have the time.

The Gunners have not won in the competition since beating Manchester United at Old Trafford six weeks ago.

But, having named Arsenal’s youngest starting XI in the league since September 2012, Arteta will have been encouraged by the resilience shown by his team following Gabriel’s dismissal.

This was the Spaniard’s 50th fixture in charge of the north London club, and he has won more games in cup matches (14) than in the Premier League (13).

His side’s finish to 2020 does not let up with games against Everton and Chelsea in the league, and Manchester City in the EFL Cup, in the next 10 days, before a trip to Brighton. (BBC)

•PHOTO: Arsenal players

Source Daily sports

Posted December 17, 2020

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