Southampton could not live with the ‘quality’ of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side after Alexandre Lacazette’s goal opened the floodgates in Saturday’s 3-0 Premier League win, Ralph Hasenhuttl told the club’s official website.
As the absence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang threatened to overshadow Arsenal’s meeting with the Saints in North London, another striker ensured that he would join his absent team-mate in the post-match news cycle.
Lacazette, who is facing an uncertain future of his own at the Emirates, found the net for just the second time in the league this season as Arsenal broke Southampton’s resistance with just 21 minutes on the clock.
It was a goal that epitomised everything Arteta wants his Gunners side to be; Playing out from the back and breaking the visitors’ press, it was wonderful team effort that began with Aaron Ramsdale and ended with a fierce first-time strike from their long-serving Frenchman.
Can Arsenal still qualify for the Champions League?
“I think the first goal changed the momentum completely. We had, until that moment, absolute control of the game, and kept them in their half,” said Hasenhuttl, who’s side were denied an early opener by a couple of impressive Ramsdale saves.
“But it’s always the same – if you don’t take something out of this momentum, and you concede the first chance and the first goal, then it is definitely a booster for them. That’s normal.
“We are coming into these situations, but the output is not enough. This is what you need in such a game – a good start, score a goal, but even then it is tough because they have quality.”
Martin Odegaard doubled Arsenal’s lead just six minutes after Lacazette’s opener – the third league game in a row in which the Norwegian has found the net.
Gabriel Magalhaes then put the proverbial cherry on the cake after the hour mark, ensuring Willy Caballero’s Southampton debut ended in a crushing defeat.
“After the second (goal) they get even more comfortable,” adds Hasenhuttl. “They have the quality and this is what they have shown today; the quality to let you run, to play through your lines, and then it’s getting tough.
“This is not surprising.
“When they are coming in their flow it is tough to defend – this is a top-six team, and we have seen that this is not so easy to defend this quality.”
This was only the third time all season that Arsenal have scored three times in a single Premier League game – and the first since October 22.
The London giants are now up to sixth in the table, just two points off the Champions League places.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
