SOU vs ARS As It Happened
Key moments
- Nketiah pounces to give Arsenal the lead on 20 minutes
- Arsenal lead 1-0 at the break.
- Long and Walker-Peters replace Obafemi and Valery at HT.
- Willock doubles the lead as Stephens is sent off
FULL-TIME: Saints 0-2 Arsenal
Goals from Eddie Nketiah and a late sealer from Joe Willock get the three points for Arsenal, despite Saints dominating the second half. Second half efforts from Ings and Redmond tested the Gunners, however the visitors capitalised on the dismissal of Jack Stephens late on.
Aubameyang lets fly from range
McCarthy collects comfortably.
Willock doubles the lead from close range
Lacazette denied twice, first from the free-kick and then from the rebound, before the ball falls kindly to Joe Willock.
GOAL
Joseph Willock (86’) | 0 – 2

Stephens sent off as a last man
The centre-back had to make a challenge as Aubameyang looked to be through.
Free-kick to follow for Arsenal.
Red Card for Jack Stephens (Southampton)
The centre-back off for a final-man challenge on Aubameyang.
Bertrand looks to find Redmond, just off!
Saints continuing to press her at St Mary's.
It's certainly been Southampton's half, but no reward as of yet.
Højbjerg down after a heavy challenge
Play resumes as he receives treatment
Big chance...but Long is denied!
A superb volley from the Irishman but Martinez claims well.
The skipper (C)
Ward-Prowse overseeing a second-half set-piece.
Nathan Redmond fires against the side netting!
Saints getting forward again as Redmond receives the ball at the back post. But his effort hits the near post's side netting.
Armstrong just over!
The Scot cuts inside from the left and hits his effort just over the bar.
Another drinks break follows.
Aubameyang and Nketiah combine, McCarthy claims
Arsenal countering with pace once more...
Alex McCarthy does well to hold onto the ball.
Ings volleys just over!
Saints coming at Arsenal again; Shane Long clipping back an effort for Danny Ings who volleys over as he was off-balance.
Walker-Peters involved once more...
The half-time substitute fires a cross in which gets headed out for a Saints corner
70% possession so far this half for the hosts.
Looking for a leveller
Nathan Redmond in second half action.
Bellerin hits an effort, well blocked!
Arsenal look dangerous on the counter-attack.
Bellerin hitting a deflected Pepe cross at Ryan Bertrand who does well to block his effort.
Armstrong tests Martinez
Saints getting a lot more of the ball here and getting a few more chances.
Stuart Armstrong turns and hits an effort at the Arsenal goal, but Martinez is equal to it as he collects at his feet.
Arsenal break through again...
Martinez's long kick is met by the Arsenal skipper, who spots Nketiah free in the box but his cross is cleared behind by Bednarek.
Great defending!
Ward-Prowse goes close from range
Saints looking good to start this second half, our skipper just hitting his latest effort over the Arsenal bar
Walker-Peters looking lively
The full-back wins a corner after a burst of pace down the right wing.
Yellow Card for Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Heavy challenge from the Arsenal youngster on Walker-Peters.
Second half underway...
COME ON YOU SAINTS!
HALF-TIME: Saints 0-1 Arsenal
The visitors grabbing the lead through Eddie Nketiah in the 20th minute and deservedly so on the chances created.
Another Nketiah chance...
Arsenal break again, Pepe feeding Nketiah who is caught in two-minds over whether to square the ball to Aubameyang or go for goal himself.
His effort eventually squandered as it trickles wide.
Nketiah penalised...
Flashback's to Arsenal's goal on the 20 minute mark as Nketiah ran through on McCarthy, but the Saints keeper gets there first and the Arsenal forward concedes the foul
Three minutes added time
The break incoming at St Mary's...
Arsenal break following the corner...
Pepe and Ceballos burst down the left wing, but the former's lofted cross is well collected by Alex McCarthy
Less than five to go until the break here at St Mary's.
Bertrand looking to cut inside
Nice move from Saints; Bertrand looking to get inside Bellerin but the Spaniard does well to see him out.
Saints corner...
Valery does well to deny Saka
It's a keen battle down the left-hand side here between the two youngsters, Valery coming out on top this time.
Encouragement from the sidelines
Plenty of action to come here at St Mary's
Bertrand down after a clash with Bellerin
The Saints full-back looks like he'll be able to carry on though.
Saints looking a threat once more
Superb touch from Ings to bring down a ball from midfield, before looking at Armstrong at the back post but the ball is just hit too far past the Saints midfielder.
The first water break of the game
Saints with work to do, but plenty of time to do it in.
Still early doors 🤞
Ward-Prowse looks to respond...
The skipper curls an effort from the left flank but it's comfortable for Martinez.
Nketiah pounces to give Arsenal the lead
Alex McCarthy's pass is cut out by the young Arsenal striker who makes no mistake.
GOAL
Eddie Nketiah (20’) | 0 – 1

Two successive Arsenal corners...
Saints defending well for the first, Danny Ings blocking a Ceballos low cross.
Ings looking lively 👀
Some early chances for Danny Ings...
Saka down after a 50-50 with Højbjerg
The youngster receiving treatment on his ankle
Ings bursts through the Arsenal defence...
But Rob Holding was there to deny our number nine an effort on goal.
Armstrong volleys just wide!
Saints with an effort now...Stuart Armstrong hitting a fierce effort which flies just wide of Martinez's right post.
Yellow Card for Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal)
Heavy challenge from the centre-back on Danny Ings warrants a yellow card.
Aubameyang smashes the bar!
Tierney's ball finds Aubameyang whose one-on-one effort rattles the crossbar...
Arsenal growing into the game
Nketiah scores...but the flag is raised again
Nice move from Arsenal, as Saka finds Nketiah but the former was caught offside as he squares the ball.
Effort from Aubameyang...
The Arsenal skipper latches onto a loose ball and fires a volley towards McCarthy, but the linesman's flag was raised either way.
Deep cross from Redmond clears everyone in the box
All Saints early doors, Redmond getting the ball on the left-hand side but his eventual cross missing everyone inside the Arsenal penalty area.
Early scuffle in the Arsenal box...
Bertrand looks for Ings inside the box, whose shot is blocked before Armstrong's effort is also cleared away.
KICK-OFF 👊
Pre-match proceedings done, HERE WE GO!
The teams are out...
Both Arsenal and Saints have taken to the pitch here at St Mary's... how are the nerves?
17.56Warm-ups underway...
Less than half an hour to go 🤔
17.35Arsenal Team News...
Starting XI: Emiliano Martinez, Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding, Shkodran Mustafi, Kieran Tierney, Granit Xhaka, Dani Ceballos, Bukayo Saka, Nicolas Pépé, Pierre-Emierick Aubameyang (C), Eddie Nketiah
Subs: Matt Macey, Sokratis, Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Özil, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Reiss Nelson, Joe Willock, Sead Kolasinac, Matthew Smith
17.07UNCHANGED 👊
Saints go with the same starting XI that saw past Norwich last week.
😇 SAINTS TEAM NEWS 😇
Starting XI: Alex McCarthy, Yan Valery, Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens, Ryan Bertrand, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, James Ward-Prowse (C), Stuart Armstrong, Nathan Redmond, Michael Obafemi, Danny Ings
10 minutes till team news...
Who is the first player on your team sheet, Saints fans? 🤔
16.51The answer is... Danny Ings 🏆
Ingsy got things started in December 2018 as Saints battled to a 3-2 win over tonight's opponents.
16.4914.32we will do our best to take a better percentage of points at home, and to give our fans the feeling that, although they are not there, we are doing everything we can so they can celebrate at home."
Ralph HasenhüttlOn winning the remaining home games
A word with the boss 👔
Hear the thoughts of manager Ralph Hasenhüttl ahead of the visit of Arsenal tonight.
14.30BACK AT 𝙃𝙊𝙈𝙀 😍
Southampton return to St Mary's for competitive action this evening, with Arsenal visiting SO14.
SOU vs ARS Line Ups
Southampton
1 |
Alex McCarthy (GK)
|
---|---|
5 |
Jack Stephens
|
43 |
Yan Valery
Kyle Walker-Peters (45′)
|
35 |
Jan Bednarek
|
21 |
Ryan Bertrand
|
16 |
James Ward-Prowse (C)
|
22 |
Nathan Redmond
|
23 |
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg
Jannik Vestergaard (91′)
|
17 |
Stuart Armstrong
|
20 |
Michael Obafemi
Shane Long (45′)
|
9 |
Danny Ings
Oriol Romeu (91′)
|
Substitutes
7 |
Shane Long |
---|---|
52 |
Nathan Tella |
28 |
Angus Gunn |
27 |
William Smallbone |
29 |
Jake Vokins |
24 |
Kyle Walker-Peters |
14 |
Oriol Romeu |
10 |
Che Adams |
4 |
Jannik Vestergaard |
Arsenal
26 |
Emiliano Martínez (GK)
|
---|---|
3 |
Kieran Tierney
Sead Kolasinac (70′)
|
16 |
Rob Holding
|
20 |
Shkodran Mustafi
|
77 |
Bukayo Saka
|
34 |
Granit Xhaka
|
2 |
Héctor Bellerín
|
8 |
Dani Ceballos
Ainsley Maitland-Niles (80′)
|
19 |
Nicolas Pépé
Joseph Willock (64′)
|
30 |
Eddie Nketiah
Alexandre Lacazette (79′)
|
14 |
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (C)
|
Substitutes
9 |
Alexandre Lacazette |
---|---|
5 |
Sokratis |
24 |
Reiss Nelson |
57 |
Matthew Smith |
10 |
Mesut Özil |
28 |
Joseph Willock |
15 |
Ainsley Maitland-Niles |
33 |
Matt Macey |
31 |
Sead Kolasinac |
SOU vs ARS Match Stats
Head to Head Stats

-
Possession (%)5347
-
Shots1210
-
Shots on target35
-
Corners46
-
Passes Complete345304