Bukayo Saka was the hero as Arsenal mounted a thrilling second-half comeback to defeat Southampton 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium.
The win solidified Arsenal’s position near the top of the Premier League table.
Saka set up two goals and capped his performance with a clinical strike of his own in the dying minutes to seal the victory.
Southampton, looking to upset the Gunners, struck first in the 55th minute. Cameron Archer made a brilliant solo run before firing a low shot past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, giving the visitors a surprise 1-0 lead.
However, Arsenal wasted no time in responding. Just three minutes later, Saka delivered a perfectly timed pass to Kai Havertz, who unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the box. The ball kissed the left post before finding the net, leveling the score at 1-1 and reigniting the Emirates crowd.
Saka continued to wreak havoc on the Southampton defence, playing a key role in Arsenal’s second goal in the 68th minute. His cross found Gabriel Martinelli, who coolly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner to put the Gunners ahead 2-1.
There was a brief moment of suspense as referee Tony Harrington paused the celebrations for a VAR review to check for a possible offside, but the goal was upheld.
With Southampton struggling to find a way back, Arsenal capitalised on a defensive blunder in the 89th minute. A misplaced pass allowed Saka to intercept the ball, and the young star calmly slotted it past the goalkeeper, making it 3-1 and putting the game beyond reach.
