Arsenal continued their impressive Premier League form this week with a 3-1 win away at Southampton. Despite conceding an early goal within the first few minutes, the Gunners’ responded positively and scored two before half time and wrapped up all three points in the second half thanks to Alexandre Lacazette’s late strike.
The result extended the Gunners’ unbeaten run to six matches in the league and they have now gained 16 points from their last 18 available.
Key Players
One of the Arsenal’s key players in their win over Southampton was Alexandre Lacazette. The French forward was at the heartbeat of most of Arsenal’s dangerous attacks, linking up well with the midfielders and wide players and providing a constant threat for the Gunners.
Lacazette capped his man of the match performance with an assist for Bukayo Saka, playing in the young winger before he rounded Alex McCarthy and gave Arsenal a 2-1 lead just before half time. Lacazette then scored a goal of his own and secured all three points for Arsenal with 20 minutes to play. Saka turned provider, producing a first time cross for Lacazette, who finished from a few yards out.
Granit Xhaka also played well in the win over Southampton. The holding midfielder was excellent alongside Thomas Partey, breaking up the play and moving the ball quickly to the attacking players – a role the Swiss international has improved on in recent weeks.
Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno made three excellent saves to deny Southampton a route back into the game. The German stopper made one particularly good stop from a Che Adams’ header in the first half to keep the score at 1-1.
How Arteta turned Arsenal’s Fortunes Around
Mikel Arteta has overseen a dramatic turnaround at Arsenal in recent weeks. Since a 3-1 win over Chelsea on Boxing Day, the North London side have climbed the table and are now eighth in the Premier League. He was a gamble for the gunners, given his unproven managerial background with the exception of working under Pep Guardiola, so if you think lady luck favours you too, check out these No Deposit Bonuses 2021.
The Spanish manager has found an ideal balance between defence and attack recently. At the back, Arsenal have been particularly impressive, conceding just two league goals in their last six and keeping four clean sheets. This foundation, built around the likes of Rob Holding, David Luiz, Hector Bellerín and Granit Xhaka has provided a solid defensive structure for the Gunners.
In attack, Arteta has shown faith in Alexandre Lacazette, who has scored six in his last nine matches, and provided two assists. Despite struggles over the past two seasons, Lacazette is leading the Arsenal attack with confidence.
Arteta has also relied on his younger players. 20-year-old Emile Smith-Rowe has performed well in recent weeks and kept his place as an attacking midfielder, while 19-year-old Bukayo Saka has also been impressive recently on the left wing, scoring four and assisting two in his last eight matches.
What’s next for the gunners?
Four of Arsenal’s last five wins have come against teams in the bottom half of the table. However, over the next month, the Gunners’ will face tough competition from the likes of Manchester United, Leicester and Manchester City in the league. The North London side also take on Portuguese giants Benfica over two legs in the last 32 of the Europa League.
With several tough fixtures over the next month, Arteta’s side will face one of the most testing periods of the 2020/21 season. If they can maintain their current form, show a level of competitiveness against the top sides in the Premier League and reach the latter stages of the Europa League, Arteta will have worked miracles, considering where the Gunners were before Christmas.
