Arsenal made their return to Premier League action on Sunday as they made the trip to Saint Mary’s to face off against Southampton. The south coast venue has become something of an unhappy hunting ground for the Gunners, a streak they won’t be too happy to continue.
Granit Xhaka appeared to put those fears to rest early in the game, volleying his effort into the roof of the net just 11 minutes in. There were other chances that came for the visitors, but none were taken.
It left them vulnerable to a comeback, which is exactly what happened in the second half of the match. Stuart Armstrong equalised after managing to get beyond the backline, with Arsenal unable to find a response.
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With that said, here's a look at how the national media reacted to the performance.
The Mirror believe that the clash could throw the side’s momentum off course, despite still occupying first in the league: “Whilst Arteta's side are still in pole position at the summit of the Premier League, the draw will be a dent in their confidence ahead of Thursday's reverse fixture in Eindhoven and Sunday's clash with Nottingham Forest next Sunday.”
As for the Telegraph, they took a lighter approach to the game and believed that things aren’t all that bad for the Gunners despite the result: “In the gloom it was not all gloomy for Arsenal, though. Yes, they drew, yes Gabriel Jesus missed chances – it is five games without a goal for the striker – and yes, they were sloppy but it was a point that extended their lead at the top of the table. And top is not where they expected to be after 11 games.”
The Guardian were much more in line with the Mirror, who were questioning whether the result was indicative of their title hopes this season: “This was a reality check for any title pretensions Arsenal hold, although they can still stew from on top of the pile. For the second successive Sunday they wobbled away from home and this time there was no repeat of their fortune at Elland Road, where they scraped through a chaotic second half to win. Another sloppy performance after the interval was punished by a beautifully worked equaliser from Stuart Armstrong and Southampton, who looked well beaten in the opening half-hour, could feel they were worth a point.”
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