Arsenal stumbles again in comeback draw with Southampton

London, April 21 (BNA): Arsenal dropped points for the third consecutive match after having to come from two goals down to draw 3-3 at bottom-placed Southampton, and are yet to make another impressive comeback in the Premier League. Friday.

Theo Walcott helped deal another blow to his former club’s title hopes by putting Southampton 2-0 up after just 14 minutes as the hosts dug a hole they couldn’t fully dig out, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

Southampton took a 3-1 lead in the 88th minute before Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka pulled Arsenal into equaliser, and Leandro Trossard hit the crossbar in stoppage time for Arsenal to add the winning goal as well.

But in the end it was the third draw in a row for Mikel Arteta’s team, which had let a 2-0 lead escape in the previous two matches, and the result that gave Manchester City an advantage in the title race.

Arsenal still have a five-point lead but City have two games in hand and Arsenal need to beat Pep Guardiola’s side at the Etihad on Wednesday to stay in control of their fate.

Despite coming back, it looked like they were down another two points after Arsenal’s mistakes gave Southampton the early lead.

Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale gifted Southampton’s opener after just 27 seconds as he played a straight pass into the path of Carlos Alcaraz, who controlled the ball before beating Ramsdale with a shot from outside the area.

Another mistake led to the second goal as Arsenal gave the ball away in midfield and Alcaraz and Walcott played through the goal. The former Arsenal winger beat Ramsdale with a low shot just inside the far post to score his 39th goal at the Emirates, having spent 12 years at the London club after joining from Southampton as a teenager.

Arsenal were in a similar position against Bournemouth in March when they trailed 2-0 before winning 3-2 thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Reiss Nelson. And it looked like a similar comeback could be on the cards when Saka pulled the ball in from Gabriel Martinelli’s right and curled a rebound from the middle of the area to put Arsenal back in the game.

But Alcaraz added a decisive goal-line clearance for his goal and headed it wide to deny Ben White an equalizer in stoppage time after a corner kick.

Southampton then converted a corner kick of their own in the second half when Armil Bela Kochab volleyed the ball towards Doug Caleta Carr, who was left unmarked at the far post to score.

Martin Odegaard scored another goal with a shot from outside the area in the 88th minute, and Saka equalized by converting a rebound in stoppage time.

Despite eight minutes of extra time, Arsenal were unable to score the winning goal as Trossard’s shot hit the crossbar.

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