Arsenal survived an early second-half scare to eventually see out a comfortable 3-1 Premier League win over Southampton.
The first half saw Arsenal dominate, but Southampton defended with heart and frustrated Mikel Arteta'a side time and time again.
An entertaining first half ended goalless despite the hosts' dominance, but the second half would prove to tell an entirely different tale.
Southampton took a shock lead after 55 minutes when Cameron Archer was sent on a charging run, before beating David Raya to open the scoring.
The Saints' lead lasted merely minutes, however, as Kai Havertz equalised for the hosts with a simple finish after excellent work from Bukayo Saka.
10 minutes later Saka was again on hand to help Arsenal into the lead, as he set up substitute Gabriel Martinelli to convert at the far post.
Despite Southampton showing threat on the counter, it was Arsenal who scored the fourth goal of the game - as Saka was finally rewarded with a goal of his own following some misfortune for the Saints in the box in the 88th minute.
The win saw Arsenal head third in the Premier League going into the international break, just a point shy of the leaders - Liverpool.
It is a very different story for Southampton, however, who remain second bottom on just a single point - as pressure builds on manager Russell Martin.
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Story of the game
Arteta made three changes from the side who beat Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, with one being enforced.
The enforced change was caused by the injury sustained by full-back Jurrien Timber, who was taken off at halftime against PSG - with Jorginho starting in his place, and Thomas Partey being moved to right-back.
Martin named four changes from the side who lost 3-1 away to Bournemouth on Monday, as he opted for a change in formation - seeing the Saints utilise a five-at-the-back setup at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners took the game to the visitors from the off, putting the Saints under immediate pressure as they looked to carve out chance after chance in and around their penalty area.
The hosts could have taken an early lead if not for some slight misfortune during a melee in the box after just three minutes, with Southampton ultimately containing the threat.
As Martin's side continued to frustrate Arsenal's early efforts, the Gunners twice saw penalty appeals waved away inside the opening quarter of an hour.
The first appeal came when Raheem Sterling appeared to lose his footing in the box after minimal contact with a defender, while the second looked more convincing - as Havertz appeared to be dragged away from the arriving ball in the box.
Southampton were forced into an early change in the 27th minute when Ross Stewart went down and was unable to carry on - with Cameron Archer replacing the stricken Scot.
Through a combination of the Saints' spirited defending and their own profligacy, Arsenal had become reliant on half chances as the half neared its conclusion.
Perhaps their best chance came in the 40th minute as Saka's blocked effort fell for Jorginho on the edge of the box, though the Italian's effort brushed agonisingly wide of the post.
Another great chance arose for the hosts in the final moments of the half, as former Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale spilt a save in front of goal, but Jan Bednarek reacted quickest to prevent Sterling from tapping it into an empty net.
With this effort and the resulting corner providing no joy for the Gunners, they entered the halftime break goalless - with Southampton clearly the happier of the two sides.
The second half got underway with no changes for either side, despite a clamour on social media for Arteta to reconfigure his attack.
Southampton enjoyed a much brighter start to the second half and came close to taking the lead when Tyler Dibling's deflected cross was poked millimetres over the crossbar by Mateus Fernandes.
The Saints' shocking start to the second half was far from over, however and, in the 55th minute, substitute Archer inexplicably opened the scoring for the visitors.
Raheem Sterling was tackled, or fouled, depending on who is asked, by Fernandes - who played a long ball to Archer.
The Aston Villa academy product continued on his darting run and finished beautifully with a cross-goal finish beyond the reach of David Raya.
Arsenal responded almost immediately to this setback, however, as just three minutes later Havertz netted his seventh consecutive goal in. home games, after excellent work from Saka.
The England star took the ball from Flynn Downes with ease, before playing a simple pass into the German on the edge of the box - where he took a touch and finished with a low-driven effort into the bottom corner.
The game, now injected with a new lease of life, became much more open but it was Arsenal who now reassumed control of the proceedings.
And, before long, the Emirates Stadium roared once more as substitute Martinelli gave Arsenal the lead for the first time in the match.
Just 10 minutes after his role their equaliser, Saka delivered an inch-perfect cross to the far post where the Brazilian had timed his run exceptionally to meet the ball at the far post - where he slotted it in from a tight angle.
The game had at least one more twist still to come, however, as Taylor Harwood-Bellis hit the crossbar from point-blank range with a headed effort from a corner in the 78th minute.
Arsenal were now in total control and dealt with occasional Southampton counter-attacks with relative ease.
Things would go from good to great for the Gunners in the 88th minute, however, as 'star boy' Saka out the result beyond any doubt.
Leandro Trossard was dispossessed after a charging run into the box, but Yukinari Sugawara took a heavy touch, allowing Saka to run onto the loose ball and finish into the far corner to add a third to the Gunners' tally.
In the closing stages, Arsenal came the closest to adding another but their efforts proved futile, as Arteta's side emerged as 3-1 victors - a comfortable result that once looked somewhat unlikely.
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Player of the match - Bukayo Saka
Saka, as fans have come to expect of him, was central to everything positive for Arsenal.
His role in both goals was integral in the Gunners securing a positive result - and were it not for his near-constant offensive threat it could have been a very different outcome for Arteta's side.
His goal to put the game beyond any late doubt was ample reward for his excellent display - as he once again silenced his critics.
