Arsenal 2 - 0 Southampton: "Alexandre Lacazette And Henrikh Mkhitaryan Goals Earned Over Southampton Moved Them Into Fourth Place In The Premier League"

First-half goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Henrikh Mkhitaryan earned Arsenal a 2-0 win over Southampton which moved them into fourth place in the Premier League table.

Lacazette was given one of the simplest chances he could wish for after six minutes when Mkhitaryan's half-volley found him unmarked six yards out and he directed the ball beyond Saints goalkeeper Angus Gunn with a smart flick.

Mkhitaryan went from provider to scorer 11 minutes later, turning home Alex Iwobi's deflected cross with a composed finish into the near corner from the right.

Southampton occasionally threatened and Matt Targett twice forced Bernd Leno into smart saves, but Arsenal moved back into the top four and above Manchester United with the victory.

Player ratings

Arsenal: Leno (7), Lichtsteiner (6), Sokratis (7), Mustafi (6), Kolasinac (7), Ramsey (6), Torreira (7), Xhaka (7), Mkhitaryan (8), Lacazette (7), Iwobi (8).

Subs: Koscielny, (6), Ozil (6), Aubameyang (6),

Southampton: Gunn (7), Valery (6), Stephens (5), Vestergaard (7), Bednarek (7), Targett (6), Hojbjerg (6), Romeu (6), Ward-Prowse (6), Armstrong (5), Redmond (6).

Subs: Austin (5), Obafemi (5), Elyounoussi (5)

Man of the match: Alex Iwobi

Southampton started with the same vigour from their shock win over Arsenal back in December and could have led inside five minutes when Nathan Redmond did excellently to beat the offside trap and cut inside, but his shot was blocked by Leno's legs.

Arsenal immediately gave their visitors a lesson in finishing as they got the ball forward in a matter of seconds, with Iwobi's cross reaching Mkhitaryan, whose half-volley back across goal hit Lacazette and the Frenchman's second touch fired the ball past Gunn from six yards.
Targett tested Gunners 'keeper Leno again when he burst past Stephan Lichtsteiner down the left, but two strong hands kept out his shot towards the far post.