Arsenal put on a masterclass at St Mary's Stadium, dismantling Southampton 3-0 in a clinical Premier League performance that reinforced their title credentials. From the opening whistle, Mikel Arteta's side controlled possession with surgical precision, barely allowing the Saints a sniff. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a curling effort from the edge of the box that left the goalkeeper rooted to the spot — his 14th league goal of the season.
Martin Ødegaard doubled the lead just before halftime with a trademark through-ball finish that split Southampton's defence wide open. The Norwegian maestro was pulling strings all afternoon, completing 94% of his passes and creating four clear-cut chances. The third came from substitute Kai Havertz, who headed home from a pinpoint Saka cross in the 78th minute. For Southampton, it was a sobering afternoon — their relegation battle looks increasingly dire with just six matches remaining and a five-point gap to safety. Arsenal, meanwhile, move to within two points of league leaders Manchester City, setting up a blockbuster showdown at the Etihad next weekend. The title race is officially back on.
