SOUTHAMPTON END ARSENAL’S 22-MATCH UNBEATEN RUN

SOUTHAMPTON:A late goal by substitute Charlie Austin gave relegation-threatened Southampton a thrilling 3-2 victory over Arsenal on Sunday in new Austrian manager Ralph Hasenhuettl’s first home game.

It was the Londoners’ first defeat in 23 games and meant they lost ground on fourthplaced Chelsea, while Southampton moved out of the bottom three. Chelsea consolidated fourth place with a 2-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion.

Danny Ings, back after injury, headed two fine goals in the first half from equally good crosses by Matt Targett and Nathan Redmond. In between, Mkhitaryan drew Arsenal level with a header of his own and early in the second half he scored via a big deflection. Yet in the 85th minute Austin, who had come on for the tiring Ings, headed in a cross by Shane Long.

A first win in 13 league games since Sept. 1 sent Southampton above Burnley into 17th place while Arsenal, who had last lost to Chelsea in the Premier League in August, remained fifth in the table. “As a club we know the position we’ve put ourselves, and with the squad we’ve got it’s not good enough,” said Ings.

“But if we keep showing resilience and hard work we can turn it round. It shows we’re moving in the right direction already.”

Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi said they didn’t concentrated sufficiently and also didn’t defended well.