ARSENAL came back from the brink of defeat to earn a 3-3 draw with Southampton at the Emirates Stadium tonight.
The Gunners looked down and out at 3-1 with little time left, but they rallied with two late goals to secure their third Premier League draw in a row.
It was a result that put a dent in Arsenal’s title aspirations but lifted the hopes of bottom club Southampton.
The Saints were 2-0 up inside 14 minutes, through strikes from Carlos Alcaraz and former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott.
The league leaders cut the deficit in the first half but Duje Caleta-Car restored the two-goal advantage before late intervention from Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka saved Arsenal from an embarrassing defeat.
The visitors were off to a quick start, scoring in the first minute as Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale erroneously passed the ball to Alcaraz, who steered it home from the edge of the area.
Walcott stunned the Emirates Stadium crowd and made it 2-0 with a low finish from close range in the 14th minute.
Arsenal needed a quick response and they got it when Martinelli, their top scorer this season, netted in the 20th minute from Saka’s cutback.
Southampton held on to their lead into half-time despite a frenetic, end-to-end finish to the first half, and stunningly extended the gap midway into the second half when substitute Caleta-Car headed home from a corner kick.
It was all Arsenal from that point on but Southampton defended bravely and rode their luck until Arsenal struck twice in the final two minutes of regulation time through Odegaard and Saka.
There were eight minutes of stoppage time and it looked as if Arsenal would get the winner they desperately needed but the Saints held on.
Only Southampton (one) have kept fewer clean sheets in home matches in the Premier League this season than Arsenal (three), according to Opta statistics.
Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu was on for the final 13 minutes of regulation time and added time, while his Nigeria international teammate Joe Aribo was an unused substitute.
With the result, Arsenal stretched their gap over Manchester City at the top of the table to five points, but the champions have two games in hand.
Southampton are still bottom, three points from safety.
