Arsenal 1 - Southampton 0: Match Report

Southampton suffered a second-straight defeat for the first time this season as they fall to Arsenal 1-0 at The Emirates, as Chilean Alexis Sánchez grabbed a late winner in the 89th minute.

Prior to the game, Ronald Koeman made two changes to the starting XI from last Sunday's defeat against Manchester City. Jack Cork was named as a starter to replace the injured Morgan Schneiderlin, while Shane Long starts in place of Sadio Mané. Arsenal, on the other hand, only made one change, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain named in the starting XI over Olivier Giroud.

It was the host that fired the first shot, Danny Welbeck, Arsenal's hero last Saturday, steered a chance wide after being played through by Santi Cazorla. Graziano Pellè then should have put The Saints on top in the 15th minute, but his volleyed effort was over the bar with only Emiliano Martinez to beat.

Midway in the first half, Fraser Forster was forced into a save to keep out Oxlade-Chamberlain's low shot, one of his many saves of the night. Welbeck then had a cheeky back-heeled attempt that was deflected wide off Saints' goal.

Pellè had another go before the half came to an end, but his effort was well met by Martinez, before Welbeck's glancing header hit Toby Alderweireld to forced Forster to make another fine save.

The Saints remained solid throughout the game, and offer some threats on the break but couldn't capitalize on those moments. Substitute Giroud struck a well-hit volley after he received Alexis' pass, but Forster managed to punch it away.

Southampton's counter-attack should've yielded a result but Mané, who came on as a sub had two efforts on goal, but wasted the first one and had his second blocked.

Forster was undeniably the man-of-the-match for the visitors, as he was in full-stretch to deny Giroud's header from across the far post, as the England international tipped the ball over the post. That chance comes after The Saints was reduced to 10 men, Alderweireld, who displayed another impressive performance, had to come off with an apparent hamstring injury.

Southampton's resolute defense was finally broken in the 89th minute.

Alexis raced into space and managed to convert Aaron Ramsey's pullback to score the game's only goal. The goal came after Giroud's shot was blocked, only for the rebound to fell to Ramsey who cuts it back for Alexis, who was in plenty of space with no one marking him, and he didn't miss from close range.

This defeat kept Southampton in third place, but they now trailed second-place Manchester City by four points. Manchester United, West Ham, and Arsenal are now only one, two, and three points, respectively behind Koeman's men.

Up next is another Monday night football as we host Manchester United.