Arsenal entered the international break with their unbeaten Premier League record intact after a 3-1 win over Southampton at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners faced an early second-half setback but rallied to secure a crucial victory that keeps their strong form alive.
Southampton stunned the home crowd with a 55th-minute opener from Cameron Archer, putting Arsenal on the back foot. However, Mikel Arteta’s side responded swiftly, with the in-form Kai Havertz equalising just three minutes later. Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to give Arsenal the lead in the 68th minute, and Bukayo Saka sealed all three points with a late strike in the 88th minute.
This marks the third consecutive week that Arsenal have been forced to come from behind, yet they have consistently found ways to earn positive results. Against Manchester City, they fought back to draw after falling behind, and a similar comeback effort saw them win late on against Leicester City. On this occasion, Arsenal trailed for only three minutes before regaining control and securing a win that, on paper, appeared more routine than the game’s flow suggested.
BBC Sport pundit Dion Dublin praised Arsenal’s newfound resilience and “grit,” qualities he believes have been missing in recent years. Speaking on Final Score, Dublin highlighted the determination within the squad, calling it a “horrible side” that enables them to push through difficult moments.
“Arsenal have got something new which I haven’t seen in many years,” Dublin said via the BBC Sport website. “This horrible side, the grit and determination – they’re all happy to do it, and they’ll muck in. They have the heart this time, and they are hurting from the disappointments of the last couple of years.”
Dublin’s comments align with what Miguel Delaney of The Independent recently observed in his Reading the Game newsletter. Delaney noted how Arteta was particularly impressed with how his team handled the emotional challenges of their recent match against Leicester City. Arteta, aware of how costly squandering leads can be, was encouraged by his team’s ability to stay composed and avoid letting emotions dictate their play.
“The Arsenal manager knows how galling it can be when a team thinks they have a game won only to squander a 2-0 lead and be pegged back to 2-2, which was why he was so enthused by the response,” Delaney wrote. “The team didn’t allow the emotion to get to them in the way they might have done in the past.”
