Southampton 3-2 Arsenal: Gunners’ long unbeaten run comes to end as Saints win on Ralph Hasenhuttl’s first home game

Southampton 3-2 Arsenal: Gunners’ long unbeaten run comes to end as Saints win on Ralph Hasenhuttl’s first home game
Ralph Hasenhuttl won his first home game in charge of Southampton thanks to Charlie Austin’s 85th-minute header earning them a 3-2 win over an in-form Arsenal at St Mary’s.Substitute Austin took advantage of a mistake from Gunners goalkeeper Bernd Leno to also put an end to Arsenal’s 22-game unbeaten run.6

Austin scored the winning goal

Arsenal, whose 22-game unbeaten run came to an end on the south coast, twice equalised through Henrik Mkhitaryan following a pair of headers from Danny Ings.The victory was Southampton’s first in the Premier League on home soil since late April and prompted scenes of jubilation in the stands followed by a lap of honour on the pitch.Hasenhuttl sent free beer vouchers to Saints’ success-starved season ticket holders during the week in an attempt to have “everyone in our boat to row with us”.His gesture, combined with an energetic, hard-working display seemed to do the trick.6

Hasenhuttl could barely contain his excitement at the final whistle

The 51-year-old, who replaced the sacked Mark Hughes on December 5, was greeted by a standing ovation ahead of kick-off.And the noise levels increased significantly as Ings twice nodded in during an entertaining first half.Armenia international Mkhitaryan gave the hosts a couple of reality checks with a brace of his own, but it was to be Saints’ day after Austin pounced.Arsenal manager Unai Emery was suffering a defensive headache so handed captain Laurent Koscielny his first league start since he suffered an Achilles problem in early May. With Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Shkodran Mustafi banned, Emery also opted to deploy midfielder Granit Xhaka as a makeshift central defender on the left of a back three.Playmaker Mesut Ozil, meanwhile, was left out of the Gunners’ starting line-up for the fifth successive top-flight game, with Alexandre Lacazette joining him on the bench.Southampton had won only one of 19 home league games dating back to November 2017, scoring just 16 times during that spell.Hasenhuttl has insisted clean sheets are his initial priority, but his team were rewarded for their bright start and attacking intent with 20 minutes played.6

Ings scored two goals on his return from injury

Matt Targett swung in a superb left-wing cross and Ings – back from a hamstring problem – nodded powerfully past Germany international Leno.The opening goal prompted a passionate celebration from Hasenhuttl, although he quickly cut it short after realising he had encroached into Emery’s technical area.His joy was short-lived though as Mkhitaryan headed Nacho Monreal’s cross into the bottom right corner eight minutes later at the end of a well-worked moved involving Alex Iwobi.Jan Bednarek then produced a last-ditch interception to deny Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a tap-in.6

It was not Aubameyang’s day in front of goal

Southampton’s enthusiastic, pressing style was warmly received by their fans and they edged back ahead a minute before the break.This time it was all about Ings as he directed a superb looping header into the right side of Leno’s goal after Yan Valery lifted the ball into the area.Emery reacted to the setback by introducing Lacazette in place of the injured Hector Bellerin at half-time and switching to a back four.The changes had an immediate impact. Lacazette caught Oriol Romeu dawdling in possession just outside the Soutampton box, allowing Mkhitaryan to fire home from the edge of the box via a heavy deflection off Jannik Vestergaard which deceived Alex McCarthy.Getty6

Mkhitaryan scored both of Arsenal’s goals

Arsenal had not lost since August 18 but, after surviving a scare when Shane Long had a goal disallowed with 15 minutes remaining, their defence was once again breached.Long burst away down the right-hand side and, after Leno came for his cross and failed to collect, Austin had the simple task of heading into the unguarded net to spark joyous scenes and move the club out of the relegation zone.6

Have Saints turned a corner?

---

The Champions League group stage is drawing to a close, with just one matchday to go before the last 16 is determined. At the conclusion of the penultimate fixtures, 12 of the 16 spots in the knockout stages have been decided.
News list for eric dier insists tottenham must not sulk over

---

Liverpool transfer news: Juventus set to rival Reds and Wolves in race for Toulouse starlet Jean-Clair Todibo Jurgen Klopp faces a fight if he wishes to land the wonderkid centre-back By talkSPORT
Liverpool, Wolverhampton Wanderers target Toulouse youngster

---

Ebbsfleet United goalkeeper jumps into crowd and 'does a Cantona' after draw with Boreham Wood. supervendor November 18, 2018 Talksport. Deal Score 0.
Video: Ebbsfleet players fight Boreham Wood fans after draw

---

Chelsea starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi 'close' to agreeing new

---

Crystal Palace have a rare opportunity to do a league double over title-chasing Manchester City at Selhurst Park on Sunday, a game you can listen to live on talkSPORT, kick-off 2:05pm. The Eagles
Crystal Palace vs Manchester City: The Eagles can do a

---

Man Utd transfer news: Moussa Dembele swoop could earn Celtic major windfall. United and Arsenal are both interested in the striker who joined Lyon in a £20m deal last summer
Manchester United transfers news LIVE Richarlison and Moussa

---

Goldstein claims Liverpool's Champions League defeat to Barcelona was 'even more embarrassing' than United's 3-0 loss at Camp Nou earlier this season. He says Klopp's side were 'outclassed in every department' against the La Liga champions. Liverpool have an almighty task on their hands to climb back into this season.
Barcelona inquest will be 'scathing and remorseless' after

---

Tottenham Hotspur vs Barcelona: Match Preview, Team News and Predicted Lineups Valverde had rested Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets in the match against Bilbao making them fresh to start in
Tottenham Hotspur vs Barcelona: Champions League match

---

Crystal Palace FC Memorabilia; Crystal Palace FC Gifts & Souvenirs; Crystal Palace FC Kits; Crystal Palace FC Soccer Starz; News, Media & Blogs. News; Videos; Blog
Report: Turkish giants keen on January move for Crystal

---

Manchester City 7-0 Schalke (10-2 agg): Pep Guardiola's side batter German opponents to ease into Champions League quarter-finals. Schalke played like a side lacking confidence. 5.
~ Manchester City 7-0 Schalke (10-2 agg): Pep Guardiola's

---

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has said he has not yet made a decision on whether to sign a new contract at the Etihad Stadium. The Germany international was the first signing made
Ilkay Gundogan contract: Midfielder ready to re-open

---

Premier League: Who were the most wasteful players in the top

---

huge concen Mkhitaryan did not travel to Azerbaijan for Arsenal's […] Arsenal plan to leave Armenia captain out of Europa League final in Baku unless UEFA provide safety assurances - Fussboll Home
Arsenal plan to leave Henrikh Mkhitaryan out of Europa League

---

^ "Sam Allardyce: New Everton boss signs deal until the summer of 2019". BBC Sport. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017. ^ "Everton v Huddersfield, 2017/18". Premier League website. 2 December 2017.

---

David Luiz slammed on talkSPORT: Vinnie Jones says Chelsea defender 'hides' when the Blues are losing Monday, 11 February 2019 Chelsea defender David Luiz has been slammed by Vinnie Jones after Sunday's mauling at Manchester City, with the Brazilian accused of 'hiding' when the going gets tough for the Blues.
Chelsea star SLAMMED for 'hiding when Blues are losing' by

---