Twitter reacts to Arsenal’s shock humbling at Southampton

Following defeat for leaders Leicester at Liverpool, the Gunners could have taken over at the top with a fourth straight league win in St Stephen’s Day’s evening kick-off.

Martina was the unlikely catalyst to Saints’ first win since November 7, with the full-back marking his first Premier League start with an exceptional strike with the outside of his boot from distance.

The strike will undoubtedly be a contender for goal of the season, and it was an early sign of the quality Southampton would show throughout the rest of the match as they dominated a hapless Arsenal team.

Southampton put Arsenal to the sword, winning comfortably 4-0 at St. Mary’s on Saturday to end the Gunners’ six-game unbeaten streak across all competitions.

The margin could have been far greater in that match (after the game an angry supporter memorably confronted Arsene Wenger) and prior to this game, Wenger allowed as how he had not forgotten the match or the result, but he claimed his defense was now stronger.

Southampton did, though, find the net again five minutes after half-time, with Virgil van Dijk heading home Ward-Prowse’s free-kick under pressure. Saints captain Fonte ghosted in at the near post to nod home a Ryan Bertrand corner, leading a number of the visiting support to head for the exits.

The impressive Long hit the post, but was not to be denied a second when Dusan Tadic set him clear, the Saints forward finishing past Cech to complete a miserable outing for Wenger’s men.

Arsenal named an unchanged line-up, and their fans were confident. “My mistake at half-time was thinking that I was in that dressing room”.

“We lost too many challenges, they were sharper than us, and we were a bit unlucky as well”, Wenger said.

Southampton looked energetic and in the mood to put recent disappointments behind them, but their early attacks foundered on the Arsenal defence.

“Many challenges we were second best, but the referee let a lot go as well and when you are not dominant that’s the kind of price you have to pay”.

The Gunners – who began 2015 with a shambolic performance at St Mary’s – produced a repeat on Boxing Day against a Southampton side who went into the game in atrocious form.

“[It] was a very, very physical game and this team [Southampton] fights for their life – as long as we couldn’t score the first goal you could see it would be a hard game”.

“I think the worst that Arsenal should have left there with is at least a draw”, said Wright.

“If it were me, I would have been coming out in the second half trying to prove something”.