ARSENAL returned to Premier League action tonight with a home stalemate against Southampton at the Emirates – and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ended his goal drought.
On the transfer front, we've the very latest on Mesut Ozil who looks set to stay until the end of the campaign.
Follow all the latest below…
- Ian Tuckey
AND HOW THE SUBS RATED…
David Luiz (for Nketiah, 65’) – 6
On to tighten things up after Gabriel’s red, he was solid enough at the back.
Joe Willock (for Ceballos, 67’) – 6
Another youngster who deserves more minutes, he did a decent job keeping the ball ticking over.
Cedric (for Pepe, 85') – N/A
Was not on the pitch long enough to make an impact.
- Ian Tuckey
ARSENAL RATINGS – CONTINUED
NICOLAS PEPE – 5
Made little impression on the game after returning from his red card against Leeds.
One decent pass and a few dud shots is not good enough from Arsenal’s record signing.
EDDIE NKETIAH – 7
Bright spark through the middle at times after being handed a rare league start.
Fans have been calling for his introduction to the Prem and he rewarded Arteta with an assist.
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG – 7
Finally broke his goal duck with a clever finish in the box.
Will be hoping strike gets him firing regularly again and was sharp throughout the game.
- Ian Tuckey
ARSENAL RATINGS – CONTINUED
MOHAMED ELNENY – 6
Tried a box-to-box role but wasn’t much use going up the pitch.
Did a decent job shielding the defence but lack of pace hindered him from effectively dealing with Saints’ forwards.
DANI CEBALLOS – 5
Struggled to make a connection between midfield and attack.
Was rightly denied a penalty in the first half after he went down too easily and will be downcast at not making a bigger difference.
BUKAYO SAKA – 7
His mazy run opened up Southampton’s defence before he picked up Nketiah to assist Aubameyang.
Turning into the Gunners’ most dependable man and his versatility has become crucial for Arteta’s in-match system changes.
- Ian Tuckey
ARSENAL RATINGS – CONTINUED
GABRIEL MAGALHAES – 5
Became the latest Arsenal man to receive a red card after being booked twice.
Doesn’t look like the same centre-back who stole the show when he arrived in the summer and let his side down with a silly dismissal.
KIERAN TIERNEY – 6
Body position was all wrong as Walcott ran through for Arsenal’s first.
Aside from that, he covered his side fairly well but lost any forward momentum as a result.
AINSLEY MAITLAND-NILES – 6
In for Hector Bellerin and brought a bit more intent to the right side.
Took risks with his passes but they mostly didn’t pay off and he was often pinned down.
- Ian Tuckey
ARSENAL RATINGS VS SOUTHAMPTON
SunSport's Anthony Chapman gives his player-by-player lowdown as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's equaliser earned the sixth-bottom Gunners only their second point in five Premier League games.
BERND LENO – 6
Has become far from a reassuring presence between the sticks.
Could have done more to stop Walcott’s opener but made a few decent stops in second half.
ROB HOLDING – 5
Left for dead by Walcott in Southampton’s opener but was denied by woodwork for late winner.
Unsure of himself at times and may not have much longer in the first team as William Saliba looks to force his way in.
- Ian Tuckey
- Ian Tuckey
F/T: ARSENAL 1 SOUTHAMPTON 1
For details and reaction go to our match blog HERE
- Ian Tuckey
LATEST: ARSENAL 1 SOUTHAMPTON 1
Both sides have late chances to win it – with Cedric Soares coming on against his old club after replacing Arsenal wideman Nicolas Pepe.
Follow the last few minutes – before post-match reaction -on our match blog HERE.
- Ian Tuckey
LATEST: ARSENAL 1 SOUTHAMPTON 1
As the ten-man Gunners bid to snatch the win that might lift them out of the bottom six, here's their best moment of the match so far – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's leveller.
Striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ended his lean spell with this neat curving equaliserCredit: Guardian News & Media / Free to use by all titles in perpetuity under NMC agreement
- Ian Tuckey
GABRIEL SENT OFF: Arsenal 1 Southampton 1
Gunners' defender Gabriel sees red on 62 minutes for his second booking – after hauling down Theo Walcott.
Follow the action on our match blog HERE.
- Ian Tuckey
GOAL: Arsenal 1 Southampton 1
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pounces on 51 minutes for a much-needed Gunners' equaliser in his goal-shy season.
Bukayo Saka is creator-in-chief, eventually freeing Eddie Nketiah to put in Aubameyang for a fine curler.
Follow the action on our match blog HERE.
- Ian Tuckey
LATEST: Arsenal 0 Southampton 1
The Gunners are struggling to impose themselves early in the second period.
Follow the action on our match blog HERE.
- Ian Tuckey
H/T: ARSENAL 0 SOUTHAMPTON 1
For details on another miserable half for the lowly Gunners, click on our match blog HERE.
- Ian Tuckey
HOW WONDER WAL ROCKED GUNNERS
Theo Walcott deepened his old club's misery with this opener for Southampton.
Saints' attacker Theo Walcott keeps his cool to finish in style And Walcott is left feeling Theo Grand as he celebrates his 17th-minute goal at the Emirates - Ian Tuckey
LATEST: Arsenal 0 Southampton 1
The Saints look by far the more comfortable side in possession.
Victory would lift them into the top four, whereas the Gunners will stay in the bottom six as things stand.
- Ian Tuckey
GOAL: Arsenal 0 Southampton 1
Former Gunner Theo Walcott stunned his old club with Southampton's neat opener on 17 minutes.
Terible defending let in Che Adams to feed ex-England flier Walcott for a sublime chip pastBernd Leno.
Walcott ran off to celebrate in the corner with outstretched arms.
- Ian Tuckey
THINK AGAIN ON 5 SUBS
FA chief Mark Bullingham has urged Prem clubs to stage a rethink on Thursday – and bring back the five substitute rule.
Prem clubs are expected to reject the Big Six-backed proposal for a THIRD time at their final ‘shareholders’ meeting of the year.
That is despite a strong plea from PFA boss Gordon Taylor, who argued it was ‘paramount in the interests of player welfare and health and safety’.
But after football’s law-making body Ifab agreed to extend the ‘temporary’ use of five substitutes through to the end of 2021 for club sides and July 2022 for international football, Wembley chief executive Bullingham put pressure on the Prem.
The Professional Game Board, including three Prem clubs and interim League chairman Peter McCormick, unanimously backed allowing five subs in the FA Cup next month and Bullingham said: “I am surprised the Premier League has not brought it in.
“It’s been signed off by Ifab and we expected all the leading leagues to sign it off because of the congested season and lack of a proper pre-season.”
Bullingham added: “The reason we want it in the competition is player welfare.
- Ian Tuckey
WE'RE IN A MES
Arsenal technical director Edu concedes the club are in dire need of a creative midfielder – despite freezing out top earner Mesut Ozil.
German playmaker Ozil, 32, is yet to play this term after being axed from the Gunners' Premier League and Europa League squads by Mikel Arteta.
And reports have linked the ex-Real Madrid superstar with a move to Turkish side Fenerbahce in January.
Edu now admits Arsenal need a creative No10 to unlock the door and feed the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
But despite Ozil still being at the club, and available for registration next month, Edu insists Arsenal do not currently have any player who meets those credentials.
He said at Tuesday’s Arsenal fans’ forum: “It’s quit clear what we need. We need a player with creativity in the middle, we don’t have that in the squad right now.”
- Ian Tuckey
LATEST: Arsenal 0 Southampton 0
The Saints have looked lively early. Follow our match blog HERE for regular and detailed updates.
- Ian Tuckey
AUBA BACKS PEPE
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang says he is talking the talk in a bid to finally walk the walk with fellow under-fire Arsenal strikers Nicola Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette this season.
Wideman Pepe starts alongside Aubameyang in the Premier League tonight against Southampton following his three-game ban, with Laczette only a sub.
And writing in the match-day programme, skipper Aubameyang said: "Myself and Lacare always with him at the training ground and we always support each other and try to help each other out.
"We often talk to each other about how we can do better and what we can improve.
"But I know Nico is a fantastic player. I think he just needs to find the right way to be consistent in these games…
"For sure with time he's going to show to everyone he's the type of player that we are waiting to see…
"Everyone needs confidence and we try to give it to him, for him to feel comfortable in the team. I hope he can make a difference now his suspension is over."
- Ian Tuckey
PEPE BACK IN ARSENAL SIDE
Arsenal's bid to turnaround their worst start to a Premier League season gets under way at 6pm at home to high-flying Southampton.
Click HERE for regular updates with our match blog.
- Ian Tuckey
GUNNERS 'HAVE TO TAKE BULLETS'
Boss Mikel Arteta said it’s time for his team to face the music amid their poor form.
“At the moment, I’m sorry, but we have to take the bullets.
“Dropping and dropping down the table is not the situation we want to be in. But this is our reality right now and we have to face it.
“We have to face it being brave, fighting and no-one giving up or anything.
“It’s not time to hide – it’s time to put your face and body on the line.”
- Jake Lambourne
ED TURNER
Arsenal chief Edu has insisted the club are keen on signing a creative midfielder in January.
The Gunners have been a No10 having scored just ten goals in 12 Premier League games.
Addressing the need for a playmaker, Edu said: "It’s quite clear what we need.
"We need a player with creativity in the middle, we don’t have that in the squad right now."
- Jake Lambourne
ART TO ART
Mikel Arteta has opened up on the pressure he is facing as Arsenal boss.
He said: “I feel the pressure all the time. When we had those good spells, everything was not beautiful.
“We had those last few months of last season and there were some difficult moments. It wasn’t all nice and easy.
“The pressure is always going to exist but when you are winning you create a different mood and then the pressure is to keep winning.
“I prefer that pressure of trying to win the next trophy but this is the reality and we have ton face it, being brave and fighting and no-one giving up. It’s no time to hide, it’s time to put your face and body on the line.
“At the moment we have to take the bullets. We are not winning matches and you have to put your chest there and you have the right to hit me because I am not winning.
“So what else can I do but put my head down, work harder and do my best to improve. It’s how we have to approach this.”
- Jake Lambourne
ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO
FA chief Mark Bullingham has urged Prem clubs to stage a and bring back the five substitute rule.
Prem clubs are expected to reject the Big Six-backed proposal for THIRD time at their final “shareholders” meeting of the year.
That is despite a strong plea from PFA boss Gordon Taylor, who argued it was “paramount in the interests of player welfare and health and safety”.
But after football’s Law-making body Ifab agreed to extend the “temporary” use of five substitutes through to the end of 2021 for club sides and July 2022 for international football, Wembley chief executive Bullingham put pressure on the Prem.
The Professional Game Board, including three Prem clubs and interim League chairman Peter McCormick, unanimously backed allowing five subs in the FA Cup next month and Bullingham said: “I am surprised the Premier League has not brought it in.
“It’s been signed off by IFAB and we expected all the leading leagues to sign it off because of the congested season and lack of a proper pre-season.”
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