Southampton 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal earned their first Premier League win at Southampton in 14 years to leapfrog Manchester United into fifth and keep the pressure up on the top four with just a week and a half to go in the season.

The visitors were far from their normal selves for the majority of the clash at St. Mary’s and it took a flash of brilliance from Alexis Sanchez to ease nerves in the away end with a classy opener before substitute Olivier Giroud sealed all three points with a close range header.

After a lively first 15 minutes in which Claude Puel’s side looked to have somewhat cast aside their exclusively defensive style from Anfield, handing Ryan Bertrand the chance to volley home an opener which he couldn’t take, the Saints reverted to a more conservative shape and Arsenal looked to up the ante.

Off the back of a strong spell of pressure former Southampton man Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain burst into the box and cut across to the waiting Aaron Ramsey, whose effort curled wide of Fraser Forster’s right post.

With neither side having capitalised on their chance, and after enduring a spell of dominance from the visitors Puel’s side looked to test the top four hopefuls as Dusan Tadic broke the lines before a fine stop from Petr Cech denied Manolo Gabbiadini an opener.

The Saints continued to press and, after Gabbiadini had whistled a free-kick just wide Cech was once again on hand to tip a thunderous effort from Nathan Redmond behind for a corner.

Having come out for the second half in a similar vein Southampton continued to prod, however, often guilty of over playing when in the Arsenal box nothing came.

Puel’s side were lacking the clinical edge which has eluded them for the most part of the season, none more so then when a loose through ball meant for Bertrand from Redmond handed the Gunners a goal kick. From Cech’s kick the visitors looked to show their class and did so in fine style when Mesut Ozil found Sanchez with a first time ball before the Chilean executed a dazzling spin and slotted home past Forster.

After an impressive spell from the hosts it was a blow to go one down, however undeterred by the goal they continued to get forward and should have been level when James Ward-Prowse headed over from close range after Bertrand’s looping cross.

Having substituted Gabbiadini in all four of his appearances since his return from injury, to the frustration of many Saints fans, there was a change of heart from Puel as he introduced the attacking trio of Sofiane Boufal, Shane Long and Jay Rodriguez, but left the Italian to lead the line.

His changes, however, were in vain as within minutes of the introduction of Giroud the Gunners had doubled their lead. After some more testing and pressure from the hosts Wenger’s side broke again and, after a superb cross from Sanchez, Ramsey’s squared headed found the substitute striker who could not miss.

With a comfortable lead Wenger, who looked a new man strutting around the visitors’ technical area, sent on midfield enforcer Francis Coquelin to successfully see out the evening and had little to worry about in the closing stages aside from Long prodding an effort from a corner straight at Cech.

With the Gunners now breathing down the necks of the top four, here are THREE things we learned from their win at Southampton…