Saints end Arsenal’s 22-match unbeaten run

LONDON, Dec 16, (RTRS): 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 fourth-placed Chelsea, while Southampton moved out of the bottom three.

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. cut out Targett’s cross from the left and losing Ings, who scored his first headed goal for three years.

The visitors briefly looked more composed and drew level when Nacho Monreal cut back a cross for Mkhitaryan to head in, and a minute later Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was only denied by a late interception from Jan Bednarek.

Southampton went ahead again, however, before the interval. Redmond supplied the chance with a neat chip and once again Ings eluded his marker to score.

So Arsenal maintained their dismal record of never having been ahead at halftime in the Premier League this season.

As a consequence Emery made one of his regular halftime substitutions in sending on Alexandre Lacazette for wing back Hector Bellerin, and Aubameyang almost equalized within a minute.

Mkhitaryan’s second goal was fortunate in the extreme, his shot taking a big deflection off Jannik Vestergaard to leave goalkeeper Alex McCarthy helpless.