Arteta frustrated with ‘big chances’ Arsenal missed as Southampton hold Gunners to a draw

Arsenal were made to rue their missed chances as Southampton held the league leaders to a 1-1 draw at Saint Mary’s.

Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead after 11 minutes through Granit Xhaka, but they couldn’t find a second goal.

Stuart Armstrong levelled things up in the second half and they managed to hold out for a point. Arsenal did have the ball in the back of the net, but the ball was adjudged to have gone out of play.

Arteta believes that Arsenal had enough chances to have won the game. He explained (via Sky Sports): “Yes, especially with the big chances that we created.

“The way we started and played the first half of the game, we should have been in a different position.

“But credit to Southampton as well, the way the came out the second half, we weren’t as clean and as consistent on the ball as we were in the first half, we started to concede a lot of long throws, set-plays which disrupted our game.

“Despite that, I think we created the two biggest chances again in the second half and it wasn’t enough to win the game, unfortunately.”

The result maintains Arsenal’s status at the top of the Premier League, but they allowed Man City to make some ground up on them.

City are now just two points behind Arsenal and also boast a superior goal difference.

Gabriel Jesus shared Arteta’s frustration at full time and felt like Arsenal had done enough to win the match.

He explained (via Sky Sports): “We started really well again. When we scored the goal, we kept playing our game, we created chances – I had a few chances in the first half also – so we can improve the level again, everyone as a team and as an individual.

“We have to concentrate more, focus more, be more aggressive with the ball, without the ball. We go home today a little bit upset because the way we played, we could have scored more goals and then won the game.”

Despite the dropped points, it is worth remembering just how far this Arsenal squad has come over the past few months.

Next up for Arteta’s side is a Europa League fixture against PSV in midweek before they face Nottingham Forest next week.

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