Arsenal pips stubborn Saints

Arsenal hosted third-placed Southampton in the Premier League on Wednesday, with both sides looking to claw their way up the table towards Manchester City and leaders Chelsea
It was the home side who looked the most dangerous in the opening exchanges, with Danny Welbeck failing to score after a nice move by the Gunners on five minutes, but it was largely quiet from both side.
Southampton’s Graziano Pelle went closer on 14 minutes, exchanging passes with Steven Davis before firing over the bar from close range as the Italian hitman’s five-game goal drought continued.
Former Southampton youngster, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, went close to breaking the deadlock after rifling the ball through a crowded penalty area, but Fraser Forster got down well and smothered the ball.
Forster denied the Gunners again, right on the stroke of half-time, tipping a deflected Welbeck header over the crossbar, having only been given seconds to see it.
His heroics kept the sides level at the break, though the Saints had performed well throughout the opening 45 minutes.
After the restart, the visitors appeared to look formidable on the break and nearly punished Arsenal with a swift counter-attack, but Shane Long opted to blaze the ball high and wide, rather than playing it across to Pelle – who was unmarked.
Forster, again, denied the Gunners on 69 minutes, palming away a Welbeck snapshot after a superb Arsenal move, as the home side enjoyed plenty of possession but no penetration.
Toby Alderweireld looked to have pulled his hamstring in the 83rd minute and hobbled off, but Southampton had already used their three substitutes and had to fight on with 10 men on the pitch.
Minutes later Olivier Giroud came close to breaking the deadlock, connecting with a cross to superbly header back across goal, but Forster was equal to it and palmed the ball to safety with a spectacular diving save.
Saints’ hearts were finally broken when Alexis Sanchez cracked home from point-blank range, converting an Aaron Ramsey cutback coolly to give the home side the lead in the 89th minute.
Ramsey went close to doubling the lead when Giroud played him through, but man of the match, Forster, denied him superbly from close range.
But the tie finished 1-0 to the home side.
Once again it was Alexis Sanchez saving Arsenal’s skin, being in the right place at the right time has served the Chilean well this season.