Arsenal failed to win for a third consecutive game on Friday after they were held to a 3-3 draw to Premier League strugglers Southampton. The Gunners were 3-1 down heading into the 88th minute but they rescued a point thanks to goals from Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.
The draw leaves them four points above Manchester City ahead of next week's title 'final' against Pep Guardiola's men. Mikel Arteta's men face seeing them lead at the top of the table cut to only one point if they fall to defeat in Manchester.
Arsenal's defensive downfall continued to cause problems on Friday, with bottom-of-the-table Southampton scoring three goals for only the second time in the league this season.
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All three goals were easily avoidable from Arteta's perspective. Carlos Alcaraz's first-minute goal came from Aaron Ramsdale's poor pass before Theo Walcott and Duje Caleta-Car lost their markers with little trouble scoring.
And after the game, Arsenal's defending was slammed by former Gunners defender Lee Dixon. Speaking on Premier League Productions, he said: "Arsenal have got a tough run coming up but those fixtures were set last summer. You've got to play everyone twice.
"Look at Zinchenko for Southampton's third goal. He's got his man, he's looking at his man, he's got his arm in the air and then he just goes to sleep.
"He's not a brilliant defender. He's brilliant on the ball and Arsenal use him to their strengths with the ball. But without the ball, we saw him play a role in Liverpool's equaliser at Anfield and again today.
"He's got to be alive as a defender, whether you sometimes go into midfield or not. It's your job to keep the ball out of the back of the net."
Zinchenko was also the victim of Gary Neville's criticism. Writing on Twitter on Saturday morning, he wrote: "For Arsenal the more experienced players needed to step up and be composed.
"In the last 3 games the more experienced ones haven’t.The younger ones have looked more assured. Zinchenko, Jesus, Partey haven’t been right. They have 5 days to sort themselves out. The huddle last night a bluff!"
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