Arsenal breathe new life into top-four hopes with Southampton win
ByReuters
Updated 10/05/2017 at 22:03 GMT
Premier League, St Mary’s Stadium – Southampton 0 Arsenal 2 (Sanchez 60, Giroud 83)
Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal celebrates after scoring to make it 0-1 during the Premier League match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary's Stadium on May 10, 2017 in Southampton, England.
Image credit: Getty Images
Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud were on target as Arsenal won 2-0 at Southampton on Wednesday to move up to fifth in the Premier League and fuel their hopes of a late push for the top four.
Sanchez broke the deadlock in the 60th minute of what had been a cagey game, selling the Saints defence a dummy before finishing left-footed for his 20th goal of the season, before Giroud headed a second with seven minutes remaining.
It was a fairly dismal evening for a Southampton side who had drawn their previous two games 0-0 and mustered few chances in another largely toothless display.
Arsenal moved above Manchester United into fifth on 66 points, three adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City with both having played 35 games. Arsene Wenger's side will also hope to reel in Liverpool, who have 70 points from 36.
MATCH FACTS
- Arsenal ended a run of five winless Premier League games at St. Mary’s, claiming their first win there since December 2003.
- Alexis Sanchez has scored more away Premier League goals than any other player this season (14).
- Sanchez is only the fifth Arsenal player to score 20 Premier League goals in a season, after Ian Wright, Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie.
- This is Sanchez’s best ever league goal return in the top five European leagues, beating his previous best of 19 in 2013/14 with Barcelona.
- The Gunners have won four of their last five Premier League games (L1) since adopting a three-man defence.
- Southampton have had 29 shots in their last three Premier League games without scoring.
- Olivier Giroud has six Premier League substitute goals this season – only Adam Le Fondre (eight in 2012/13) has more in a single campaign than the Frenchman.
- Giroud’s goal was his 100th in the top-flight of European football (33 in Ligue 1, 67 in the Premier League).
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