Bukayo Saka caps off Arsenal comeback to put struggling Southampton to bed | Premier League

At least Mikel Arteta can always rely on Kai Havertz these days. The Arsenal striker scored for the seventh successive home game to match Robin van Persie’s record and inspire a dramatic comeback after his side found themselves behind against struggling Southampton.

Still without a win seven matches into the new campaign after being promoted last season, Russell Martin must have been dreaming of causing a major upset when the substitute Cameron Archer silenced the home crowd early in the second half. Havertz had other ideas, however, and his equaliser three minutes later provided the impetus for Gabriel Martinelli to come off the bench and score before Bukayo Saka wrapped up the points on a day that was almost one to remember for Aaron Ramsdale against his former club.

Southampton had arrived in north London in hope rather than expectation, having never managed to win here in 24 previous attempts in the Premier League. Given Arsenal’s hectic schedule since the last international break, it was no surprise to see Arteta rotate his squad and hand Raheem Sterling a first Premier League start since joining from Chelsea on loan. But while Martin Ødegaard confirmed in his programme notes that his recovery from an ankle injury is going “better than we were thinking”, Ben White and Jurriën Timber’s absences meant Thomas Partey had to fill in at right-back.

Ramsdale revealed this week that David Raya had been the first person to message him following his move to the south coast and insisted that he bears no grudges towards the man who replaced him as Arsenal’s No 1. He looked set for a long afternoon when the hosts almost scored from a corner in the third minute before Southampton were able to scramble the ball away. Ramsdale must have momentarily forgotten which side he was playing for when he passed the ball straight to Sterling, who was clumsily bundled over by Jan Bednarek inside the area. To Arteta’s frustration, the referee, Tony Harrington, waved away their appeals for a penalty.

Yet besides another corner that was headed over by Havertz, Ramsdale didn’t have much else to do until he confidently came to claim a free-kick whipped into the area by Saka. By then, the former Tottenham player Kyle Walker-Peters had registered Southampton’s first shot on target and the striker Ross Stewart had limped off to be replaced by Archer. Having been heavily criticised for their performance in a 3-1 defeat to Bournemouth last Monday, Martin’s defence were standing up to the challenge.

The home crowd’s frustration was becoming audible when Jorginho flashed a volley just past Ramsdale’s post after good work down the right flank by Saka five minutes before the break. Sterling almost found a way through when he was played through by Gabriel Jesus before Arsenal finally forced Ramsdale into a save when he pushed Partey’s low drive around the post.

No doubt with Arteta’s half-time team talk still ringing in their ears, Arsenal came out of the blocks quickly at the start of the second half as Jesus fired just wide from outside the area. But Southampton came within inches of breaking the deadlock following a great run from the 18-year-old Tyler Dibling that left Riccardo Calafiori for dead, with Mateus Fernandes firing just over with a flying volley. It was the Portuguese midfielder who was the architect of Archer’s opener minutes later, with the England Under-21 striker showing great composure inside the area to beat Raya at his far post.

Their lead didn’t last long. It had been a quiet afternoon by Havertz’s recent standards but the German forward decided to take matters into his own hands when he curled the ball past Ramsdale off the post to equalise within three minutes of falling behind. Suddenly Arsenal had woken up and Southampton were hanging on for dear life. They were undone by a brilliant cross from Saka that picked out an unmarked Martinelli at the far post to apply the finish. Despite a nervous wait for VAR after it appeared Mikel Merino was offside but not affecting play, the goal was given.

Ramsdale did well to save at his near post from Saka as Arsenal attempted to kill the game off. But Raya was lucky to escape after turning Dibling’s curler round the post when he flapped at the ensuing corner and Taylor Harwood-Bellis somehow struck the crossbar. It was left to Saka to round things off with a first-time finish past Ramsdale after Havertz had again won possession in midfield.