Arsenal beat Southampton 2-1 at St Mary’s on Sunday as they finished in second place in the table.
MORE — Watch full replay
Both teams made plenty of changes as Kieran Tierney gave Arsenal the lead in the first half. Saints battled away and Ross Stewart scored his first goal for the club to make it 1-1, but Martin Odegaard jumped off the bench and won it late on.
With the win Arsenal finished the season on 74 points, 10 points behind Premier League winners Liverpool. Southampton finished bottom of the table on 12 points and set a new Premier League record for the most defeats in a single season, 30.
Arsenal know where they have to improve
The Gunners know they are a striker, winger and creative central midfielder away from challenging for everything again next season. They know what they have to do, and have for some time now, but the hard bit is getting these big deals over the line. It seems like Rodrygo, Isak and Zubimendi are the three dream additions to their squad but Gyokeres may be a better option with Isak’s Newcastle making the Champions League. Arsenal will obviously look for good deals but a step back this season in the Premier League (injuries played a huge part in that) shows they need to add real quality now. That is the next step for them as a club and Mikel Arteta is clearly begging for the owners to back him big this summer. He and Arsenal deserve it to get over the line and win a big trophy next season. They’re very close.
Southampton vs Arsenal player ratings (via FotMob.com)
Southampton vs Arsenal score: 1-2
Stewart 56'; Tierney 43', Odegaard 89'
Southampton vs Arsenal live updates! — By Joe Prince-Wright
Odegaard scores! — Southampton 1-2 Arsenal
Surely that is the winner. Captain Odegaard is off the bench and he’s secured the win.
Stewart scores! — Southampton 1-1 Arsenal
After a terrible run with injuries “The Loch Ness Drogba” scores his first goal for Southampton. St Mary’s goes wild.
Tierney flicks home — Southampton 0-1 Arsenal
What a moment for Kieran Tierney. The Scotsman flicks home superbly to give the much-changed Gunners the lead just before half time.
Stewart heads wide
Saints have been okay and whip in a cross which Stewart heads wide. He should do better with that. New manager Will Still will be happy with what he’s seen, so far, from a much-changed Saints side.
Saints want a penalty kick for a handball on Rice
Sugawara smashes a shot towards goal but Declan Rice has his arm out. The ball smashes Rice but it looked to hit his chest. No penalty kick. The hosts are hanging in there.
Southampton lineup
Ramsdale; Sugawara, Wood, Taylor, Welington; Downes, Ugochukwu; Robinson, Fernandes, Sulemana; Stewart
Arsenal lineup
Raya; Partey, White, Kiwior, Tierney; Rice, Zinchenko, Merino; Nwaneri, Martinelli, Sterling
Southampton team news, focus
QUESTIONABLE: Jan Bednarek (knee), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (ankle), Albert Gronbaek (achilles) | QUESTIONABLE: Kyle Walker-Peters (illness)
Arsenal team news, focus
OUT: Jurrien Timber (ankle), Gabriel Magalhaes (hamstring - MORE), Gabriel Jesus (torn ACL - out for season), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), William Saliba (thigh)
Southampton vs Arsenal prediction
Hopefully a close game with a lot of goals. It would feel a little wild to predict even a half-strength Arsenal to lose to Saints on Sunday so we’re going to optimistically project entertainment. Southampton 2-4 Arsenal.
Southampton vs Arsenal preview
Long-relegated Saints sit 20th on the table with 12 points and have just dodged the worst statistical season in the Premier League.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have fallen short of most of their season goals but are all but certain to finish second on the table again and will return to the UEFA Champions League with renewed vigor next season.
How to watch Southampton vs Arsenal live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 11am ET Sunday
Venue: St. Mary’s Stadium — Southampton
TV Channel: Syfy
Streaming: Watch live on NBC.com
