{"id":25896,"date":"2022-04-16T12:55:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-16T16:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25896"},"modified":"2022-04-18T08:36:44","modified_gmt":"2022-04-18T12:36:44","slug":"arsenals-hopes-of-top-four-finish-dashed-by-loss-to-southampton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25896","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal’s Hopes Of Top Four Finish Dashed By Loss To Southampton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Jan Bednarek scored the only goal as the Gunners suffered a fourth defeat in five matches (PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal\u2019s faltering quest for Champions League qualification suffered another setback after they slipped to an uninspiring 1-0 Premier League loss at Southampton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tottenham\u2019s shock home defeat to Brighton in Saturday\u2019s lunchtime kick-off offered the Gunners the chance to move level on points with their fourth-placed north London rivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Mikel Arteta\u2019s men blew a major opportunity to capitalize at St Mary\u2019s as Jan Bednarek\u2019s strike on the stroke of half-time condemned them to a fourth defeat from five games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal retain a game in hand on Spurs, albeit a tricky trip to Chelsea, while their latest slip-up provides further encouragement for fellow top-four hopefuls Manchester United and West Ham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gunners dominated possession for much of the afternoon in Hampshire, but in the absence of the ill Alexandre Lacazette they often lacked a cutting edge and rarely troubled Ralph Hasenhuttl\u2019s resolute hosts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the occasions they did, they were frustrated by in-form Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster, who produced stunning saves to keep out joint leading scorers Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe either side of Bednarek\u2019s decisive finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victory for Saints ended a five-match winless league run to boost their aspirations of a top-half finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal ran out into the south-coast sunshine on the back of successive defeats to Crystal Palace and Brighton and without first-choice striker Lacazette due to Covid-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet the mood of manager Arteta would no doubt have been improved by Tottenham suffering unexpected frustration against the Seagulls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He handed Eddie Nketiah his first league start of the season in place of the stricken Lacazette, while the hosts\u2019 four changes following last weekend\u2019s 6-0 thrashing by Chelsea included the recall of striker Armando Broja.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arteta\u2019s visitors \u2013 captained by Martin Odegaard \u2013 monopolized the ball for much of the opening period as they sought to escape their recent sticky patch. And they would have been ahead but for the inspired Forster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Saints stopper was alert to deny Gabriel Martinelli\u2019s curling effort early on before producing a stunning stop to keep out England team-mate Saka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brazilian Martinelli was again heavily involved, delivering an inviting low cross from the right after Nketiah had seized on sloppy play from Yan Valery, only for the unmarked Saka\u2019s goal-bound effort to be acrobatically tipped away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saints switched to five at the back after being humiliated by Thomas Tuchel\u2019s European champions seven days ago and were looking for opportunities to counter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They edged ahead a minute before the break following a short period of pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Arsenal only partially cleared a James Ward-Prowse corner, Romain Perraud recycled the ball and Mohamed Elyounoussi was alert to pull the ball back from the left, allowing Poland defender Bednarek to lash his fourth goal of the season into the roof of the net via the fingertips of Aaron Ramsdale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gunners\u2019 initial response to falling behind was hardly inspiring, prompting Arteta to turn to his bench.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith Rowe and Nicolas Pepe were both introduced and the former almost grabbed a 73rd-minute leveler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A loose ball in Saints\u2019 box bounced kindly for the creative midfielder but his scuffed effort into the ground allowed Forster sufficient time to scamper across his goal and claw the ball away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Southampton were dropping deeper and deeper in a bid to protect their slender lead, leading to some tense moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saka thumped a shot straight at Forster and Odegaard and Granit Xhaka also provided scares, but the Gunners could not find a leveler as a raucous response to the full-time whistle signaled further disruption to their European ambitions.<\/p>\n

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