Arsenal overcame a resilient Southampton at the Emirates, beating the South Coast side 3-1 in-game week seven of the Premier League.
How the goals came
Cameron Archer gave the newly promoted side the lead in the 55th minute. However, their lead only lasted three minutes when Kai Harvetz's long-range effort beat Aaron Ramsdale to level up the game.
The Gunners then brought on reinforcements to try and overrun Southampton's defence, and this worked perfectly as Gabriel Martinelli was found at the back post to poke it past Ramsdale to give the home side the lead.
Buyako Saka rounded off the game in the 88th minute after the winger latched onto a mistake from Yukinari Sugawara and buried his effort past Ramsdale to give the North London side the win.
What the win means
This win puts Mikel Arteta and his team one point behind league leaders Liverpool, who enter a tough fixture period.
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Arsenal player ratings:
David Raya - 6/10
Raya didn't have to do much in the first half, as Southampton didn't test the Spanish goalkeeper. However, in the second half, Archer scored in the first 10 minutes, and Raya couldn't do much, but looking back, will feel like he could have saved it.
Thomas Partey - 6/10
The Ghanaian international played right back for the Gunners yesterday as Jurriën Timber and Ben White are out at the moment through injuries. Being out of position, Partey was tasked with a different job and played well. On occasions, he was caught out, and Saka found it hard to create chances with Partey being on the right.
William Saliba - 7/10
Saliba made a few mistakes in the game and will at the goal the Gunners conceded, but overall, he was very good and showed why he is one of the best defenders in the league.
Gabriel Magalhães- 7/10
Gabriel, like his partner, had a good match but made some individual errors within the game. However, the duo have played most games for Mikel Arteta's team between both international breaks.
Riccardo Calafiori - 7/10
Calafiroi has grown into the Arsenal team and has brought new life to the left-hand side of the team. However, the left back needs to be careful not to get caught out, like he did yesterday in the first half, which nearly led to a goal. Apart from this, he had another impressive match.
Declan Rice - 8/10
Rice was one of the Gunners' best players in the game. He controlled the midfielder and helped Jorginho, who struggled in certain moments of the match. The midfielder is having a brilliant season and will be looking to take that form into England next week.
Jorginho - 6/10
Jorginho had a difficult afternoon, struggling against a young Southampton midfielder and attack, but the midfielder will be happy that the Gunners took all three points and the win yesterday.
Kai Havertz - 9/10
Havertz's performance yesterday showed why he is one of the best forwards in the league at the moment. He got the first goal with a brilliant effort from outside of the box. However, his best moment was in the added time of the second half. The striker hunted the ball down for the Gunners and won an important free kick, stopping Southampton counter-attacking.
His goal also makes it seven goals in seven home games for the German international, putting him in with the likes of Robin van Persie and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Raheem Sterling - 7/10
Sterling had an impressive full debut at the Emirates. The winger got stuck in and had a good chance of getting the opening goal towards the end of the first half. The English international will now use the International break to recover and get ready for a big winter period for the Gunners.
Gabriel Jesus - 5/10
The forward had a challenging game, not being able to use his qualities, which helped the Gunners two seasons ago. However, this was his first start of the season, and he is coming back from injury, so it was good for the Brazilian to get some more minutes under his belt.
Buyako Saka - 9/10
Saka was man of the match on the day, with Harvetz rivalling him for it, but the winger deserved all the praises. The captain created the first and second goals to give the Gunners the lead after conceding first and rounded off his performance with a late goal.
Mikel Arteta was asked about Saka's performance in his post-match presser: "It’s another step ahead in what he wants."
"Do it at home, do it away, do it in big games, do it in some other games, when the team needs it, not when it’s 3-0 - that’s what defines a top, top player."
Substitutes:
Gabriel Martinelli - 8/10
Leandro Trossard - 6/10
Mikel Merino - 7/10
Takehiro Tomiyasu - 6/10
Jakub Kiwior - 6/10
