The thrill of Arsenal’s late salvage operation and the lead of five points at the top of the Premier League could do nothing to mask the utter deflation for those in red-and-white by the time this frenzied contest staggered to a close.
There were exhausted bodies slumped on the turf, heads in hands and shirt collars hauled up to cover anguished faces. The home crowd offered a polite round applause by way of appreciation. Perhaps for the way they finished the game. Perhaps for all they poured into this season.
But those in the away sang about a title gone and, sadly, that is how it will feel as the dust settles.
Two points dropped against rock-bottom Southampton, after draws at Liverpool and West Ham means three points from three games and it is advantage Manchester City ahead of Wednesday’s title showdown.
Mikel Arteta’s improbable mission to the stars has developed what Elon Musk’s SpaceX team might call a rapid unscheduled disassembly.
Southampton took the lead after 25 seconds with keeper Aaron Ramsdale passing the ball straight to Carlos Alcaraz
The Saints doubled their advantage inside 15 minutes as former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott converted coolly
The Gunners were back in it with Bukayo Saka crossing from the right for Gabriel Martinelli to fire home and halve the deficit
They go the Etihad Stadium where they have lost on each of the last seven visits, where they have not scored a goal since 2019, where they have not won since 2015.
They are five points clear but City have two games in hand, a better goal difference, vast reserves of quality and the experience of what it takes at the bitter end of the season. Arsenal, meanwhile, are performing like a team in the grip of a nervous meltdown.
It is a symptom of the pressure. At Liverpool and West Ham they led by two goals and surrendered the lead. Here, against Saints, they gifted the lead to the visitors and fought back with goals in the 88th and 90th minutes by Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.
Leandro Trossard clipped the bar in stoppage time and James Ward-Prowse produced a fabulous late block to prevent a winner from Reiss Nelson as the visitors hung on for a point, which probably felt like a poor return on their efforts.
Southampton caught Arsenal stone cold, stealing into the lead within 25 seconds of kick off. Carlos Alcaraz read Aaron Ramsdale’s intention, searching for a pass to pick out Oleksandr Zinchenko in his pseudo central midfield position, made the interception and beat the Arsenal goalkeeper from just outside the penalty area.
It was the Argentine’s third goal since his arrival in January from Racing Club. The Emirates Stadium was stunned into silence.
Saints stretched their lead. Again, punishing Arsenal sloppiness in possession. This time, Mohammed Elyounoussi stepped in to cut out a pass by Odegaard, usually so alert, decisive and precise with his distribution and Southampton cut through to Ramsdale’s goal.
Elyounoussi found Alcaraz and he slid an angled pass behind Gabriel to release Walcott, who produced a clinical finish, first time across Ramsdale and inside the far post, the sort of goal he would score regularly at this venue in his prime. This time, without the raucous acclaim of the home crowd.
It would be Southampton who would get the next goal as a corner was flicked onto Duje Caleta-Car, who headed it home
Arsenal gave themselves a chance at taking something as Martin Odegaard bent home a fine finish in the dying stages
Moments later and they were level, Saka turning home after Gavin Bazunu had made a smart save to deny sub Reiss Nelson
As Walcott did his best to conceal his glee out of respect for his former team, Zinchenko called his teammates into a huddle inside the centre circle for a brief therapy session.
Zinchencko was back after injury but short of his influential best and Saints played on the spaces when he vacated his post at left back to venture into midfield. William Saliba was still absent and there was no Granit Xhaka, who reported ill on morning of the game.
With Fabio Vieira in midfield, Arsenal lost some of their bite. Still, they did not lack creativity or adventure going forwards and Gabriel Martinelli pulled a goal back before the contest was 20 minutes old.
Saka collected the ball from Odegaard on the right, jinked and dashed to the by-line and cut back his cross towards Martinelli who applied a composed volley to sweep the chance past ‘keeper Gavin Bazunu.
This time Saints huddled as if to consolidate. They lost Jan Bednarek, concussed when sent crashing head over heels by a naughty foul by Martinelli, and Arsenal were well in control by half-time. Alcaraz was brilliantly alive to clear a glancing header by Ben White off the line at a corner.
Ruben Selles sprang a half-time tactical surprise by taking off Alcaraz and reinforcing his defence, flexing the formation from back-four to back-five, with three in midfield and leaving Walcott and Adam Armstrong up front.
The change served to invite Arsenal on. Saints dug in to defend on the edge of their penalty area and sunned the Emirates once again when they went 3-1 up, from a corner, brilliantly delivered by James Ward-Prowse.
Armel Bella-Kotchap flicked it on and sub Duje Caleta-Car nodded it in as Zinchenko was caught ball-watching. The visitors glimpsed an unlikely win to ease their relegation woes but Arsenal summoned late pressure and a frantic finish.
The clock had ticked onto 88 minutes by the time Odegaard curled in a sweet goal from the edge of the penalty box, and Saka pounced to equalise two minutes later, tapping from after a save by Bazunu from Nelson.
Then came eight more minutes of nail-biting stoppage time without a winner and a point each does nothing much for either team but it will do plenty to encourage Manchester City and plenty for Southampton’s relegation rivals.
