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Arsenal scored twice in stoppage time to salvage a point in a thrilling 3-3 home draw with Southampton, but their championship aspirations in the Premier League took another hit on a tense Friday night in north London.
Arsenal’s attempt to fend off Manchester City and win the league for the very first time since 2004 seemed doomed for most of a stomach-churning contest.
After giving up a goal to Carlos Alcaraz after just thirty-eight seconds thanks to goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, they fell down 2-0 as Theo Walcott, a former Arsenal striker, scored within just 15 minutes.
After twenty minutes, Gabriel Martinelli responded for the Gunners. In stoppage time of a thrilling first half, Ben White’s header was cleared off the line just before Arsenal came within millimetres of tying the score.
Duje Caleta-Car, a late substitute, headed in at the back post in the sixty-sixth minute to give Southampton their two-goal advantage back. Southampton could have faltered under strain from the home crowd in the 2nd half.
The visitors seemed to be headed for a crucial victory as they sought their first victory in 7 league games in their desperate attempt to extend their ten-year stay in the top division.
To give Arsenal a chance, though, captain Martin Odegaard curled a shot past Gavin Bazunu in the 88th minute. Just two minutes later, Bukayo Saka scored from a short distance.
The home crowd besieged the Southampton stadium, hoping for Arsenal to score a victory precisely as they had a month earlier against Bournemouth after falling down by two goals.
Leandro Trossard got denied by the crossbar in the eighth minute of extra time, while Reiss Nelson, another replacement, had a deflected attempt agonizingly miss the post.
Gabriel Jesus then tumbled down in the box, pleading for a penalty with Southampton encamped within their own penalty area, but there would be no resolution to the never-ending drama.
At the final siren, both teams’ players fell to the ground in a tie that achieved little to further each team’s starkly different goals.
Prior to the top two’s potentially pivotal matchup at the Etihad next Wednesday, Arsenal did extend their advantage over defending champions Manchester City to five points, despite the fact that City still has two games remaining.
Despite playing bravely to defy their situation, Southampton is still in last place with twenty-four points, three points outside of the safety zone despite having played a further game than the teams above them.
