Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, with ten players from the 67th minute when Gabriel was sent off, failed to beat Southampton, but at least snapped a four-game losing streak at the Emirates in Premier and saved a point against the revelation team of the tournament, third in the table (1-1). A former ‘gunner’, Theo Walcott, advanced to the ‘Saints’ and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang tied Arsenal, 15th.
Arteta made four changes. Dani Ceballos started in place of the sanctioned Granit Xhaka. Maitland-Niles came in for Héctor Bellerín (which was doubtful due to injury). Pépé did it for William and Edward Nketiah for Alexandre Lacazette.
It had to be a former Arsenal player, Theo Walcott (who defended the 'gunner' shirt for 13 years), who advanced to the 'Saints' in an Emirates Stadium without an audience, since the United Kingdom Government closed the six London stadiums. It was a great play, with a pass through Che Adams to Walcott, who finished off the counterattack with great quality. 0-1.
It was a tremendous blow for Arsenal, all the more so because, with Arteta's weak performance, it was difficult to think of a reaction from North Londoners. Walcott celebrated his goal in style even though he had scored it for his former team.
The Emirates' best chance in the first half was a shot at their own goal by Jan Bednarek, which forced their goalkeeper, Alex McCarthy, to make a big intervention to avoid what would have been Arsenal's first goal.
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The hope of rebirth for Arsenal in the 51st minute, when Bukayo Saka, on a great play, sent the ball to Edward Nketiah and he superbly assisted Aubameyang, who finished the play to score his third goal in this Premier League.
But the “gunner” joy did not last long because Arsenal were left with ten in the 67th minute when Gabriel saw the second yellow card. Again, as against Burnley (a game in which Xhaka was sent off), Arsenal were outnumbered.
After a pass from Oriol Romeu, Nathan Redmond (who had replaced Walcott in the 63rd minute) smashed a ball into the post. Redmond himself had another chance at 86 '. But Arsenal had the victory in their hands in a Holding auction that hit the wood.