SOUTHAMPTON v ARSENAL RECAP: Saints stun Gunners
Southampton scored a stunning 4-0 win over Arsenal on Saturday.
Ronald Koeman's Saints put behind them a five-game winless run to hammer the Gunners who could have gone top of the table had they amassed three points on the south coast.
Cuco Martina opened the scoring with a remarkable swerving strike from distance in the 19th minute which gave Petr Cech no chance before Shane Long added a second 10 minutes into the second half when slotting home Sadio Mane's pinpoint cross.
Southampton grabbed a third when Jose Fonte powerfully nodded home Ryan Bertrand's corner prior to Long rounding out the triumph when racing onto Dusan Tadic's through ball and fired between the legs of Cech.
The victory saw the Saints remain 12th on the table as Arsene Wenger's Gunners stayed second but missed a golden opportunity to leapfrog league-leaders Leicester City.
MATCH OVERVIEW
Southampton: 4 (Cuco Martina 19', Shane Long 55'/90+2', Jose Fonte 69')
Arsenal: 0
St Mary's Stadium, Southampton - 31,669
TALKING POINTS
- What a performance from the Saints. Can this be the catalyst for a big second half of the season?
- Once again, just when everything seems to be going well for Arsenal, they produce a shoddy showing like this. What can Wenger do to instil some solidity?
WHAT'S NEXT?
Southampton will be buoyant when they head to West Ham United on Monday night as Arsenal get set to host Bournemouth.
TWITTER INSIGHT
Happy with my goal, but even more happy with the win! #wemarchon @SouthamptonFC pic.twitter.com/duz4iNXEeg
— Cuco Martina (@CucoMartina) December 26, 2015We really needed this performance and victory! What a great night! #BoxingDay photocredit: Pro Shots/Action Images pic.twitter.com/SEaHGh38AT
— Jordy Clasie (@JordyClasie) December 26, 2015"We will be ready to bounce back." - @PetrCech reflects on the defeat to Southampton: https://t.co/4UYgSyGOAP pic.twitter.com/KB7IybR3ti
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) December 27, 2015
QUOTES CORNER
Southampton boss Koeman rated his side's win as 'perfect':
"Of course, we don't expect this result. We had confidence, we had belief to win the game, but so clearly in the end to win 4-0, and even to have good opportunities to score more goals.
“Well done to the boys. After a period without winning games you like to have a performance like tonight and it was perfect."
Arsenal's Wenger on the performance of Southampton:
"Well, I think Southampton made the game very physical.
"We lost too many challenges and that explains why we lost the game. But that's one aspect, so well done to them."
