Olivier Giroud came off the bench to rescue a point at St Mary’s to lift Arsenal back above Tottenham in the table.
Arsene Wenger’s side, who lost at home to Manchester United last week, seemed set for a crushing fifth away defeat of the season after Charlie Austin gave the Saints the lead after only 128 seconds after a clever reverse by the brilliant Dusan Tadic.
Austin has now scored four times in four games to help to lift Mauricio Pellegrini’s team up to 10th.
Wenger sent on the cavalry of Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere and Olivier Giroud after the break and finally saw his side draw level after 87 minutes.
Alexis Sanchez crossed and the Frenchman nodded home his eighth Arsenal goal of the season. Arsenal move up one place to fifth.
Here are five talking points…
No snow but a biting wind on the South Coast – and the harsh reality is that no London clubs will win the Premier League title this season.
After Tottenham’s recent wobbles and Chelsea’s defeat yesterday, Arsenal avoided consecutive defeats but really lost more ground. This is not an Arsenal team to win the Premier League. Or maybe even finish in the top four again
Before the former QPR’s first Premier League start of the season against Everton, Southampton had scored nine goals in 12 games – and only four from open play.
Austin has now netted four in four – and eight goals in his last 11 Premier League starts for Southampton to lift them up to 10th.
It was also back-to-back home league wins for the first time this year.
The BT Sport pundit was marooned by snow on the M40 and could not get to St Mary’s.
To show solidarity with the former Gunners centre-back, the current Arsenal back three disappeared for the first 10 minutes as the Saints ran riot. They only had one job. Stop Charlie Austin.
He scored after 128 seconds and could have had two more before many spectators were in their seats. Per Mertesacker, at fault for the goal, was finally hooked after 64 minutes.
From his brilliant reverse ball to set up Austin’s goal, the Serb ran the midfield in the first half with his silky touch and great vision.
And Oriel Romeu was also outstanding for the Saints in his central midfield role Sanchez filled in and out of the game and started a great counterattacking move in the first half. Mesut Ozil did what Mesut Ozil does away from home.
The England midfielder was finally introduced after 69 minutes and added some urgency to Arsenal’s play. And the France centre-forward, who came on three minute later, provided the finish and the point.
Arsene Wenger needs to try something different. But the rest of this season promises to be a battle for the final Champions League slot – and a bit of cup consolation.
Arsenal fans have hit out at the way Olivier Giroud celebrated his late equaliser against Southampton.
The Gunners went 1-0 down to the south-coast club in just three minutes on Sunday, and spent the entire game attempting to get back into it.
It looked as if the Saints were going to hold out and take all three points from the contest, until Giroud found the back of the net.
Getting his head on the end of an Alexis Sanchez cross, the Frenchman nodded the ball past Fraser Forster to get Arsenal back in the game.
Now it seems most Gunners supporters wanted to see Giroud collect the ball from the net so the match could restart.
But instead the striker ran towards the fans, pointed to his name on the back of his shirt, and revelled in the moment.
To be fair to the France international he is well within his right to celebrate scoring a late equaliser.
However, Arsenal supporters are furious that he had the sheer audacity to waste time and not get on with the game to help find a winner… who’d be a footballer, eh?
Arsenal missed the chance to gain on top four rivals Chelsea as they drew 1-1 with Southampton in the Premier League.
The Gunners went a goal down after just three minutes as Charlie Austin continued his recent good form in front of goal but, late on, substitute Olivier Giroud salvaged a point for the Gunners with a header.
Supporters of Arsene Wenger’s men, though, will be incredibly disappointed in their side’s display which lacked conviction and energy.
But how did we rate the Arsenal players today? Click the right arrow above to find out…
Olivier Giroud climbed off the bench to rescue a point for Arsenal in a 1-1 draw at Southampton.
The French frontman struck two minutes from the end as Saints just failed to hang on to Charlie Austin’s early opener.
Austin had punished Arsenal for a calamitous beginning to the match with his fourth goal in his last three starts.
With just two minutes on the clock the striker collected a loose clearance from Per Mertesacker and fed Dusan Tadic.
Austin timed his run into the area perfectly, taking Tadic’s return ball in his stride and lashing it past Petr Cech.
Things could have got worse moments later when Tadic sent Austin through again, with Arsenal’s defence nowhere to be seen, but this time Cech blocked the striker’s low drive.
And there was more panic in the Gunners ranks with just seven minutes gone as Austin got in behind again, crashing his shot against a post although he was flagged offside.
Arsenal eventually recovered from their woeful start, but they struggled to find a way through a dogged Saints defence until Giroud’s late intervention.
Arsene Wenger had once again started with Jack Wilshere on the bench despite his sparkling Europa League display in midweek.
Granit Xhaka, the man keeping Wilshere out, set up a chance for Alexandre Lacazette, who turned in the area but fired sraight at Fraser Forster.
Lacazette was then denied by a timely challenge from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg after a lightning counter-attack before Forster held Aaron Ramsey’s scuffed effort.
Forster has had his critics this season but the England World Cup hopeful made a fine save on the half-hour to tip a well-struck Ramsey drive around the post.
Southampton had another let-off before half-time when Maya Yoshida clattered Lacazette in the area after he had taken a shot but no penalty was given.
Their determination not to allow Arsenal back in was summed up when James Ward-Prowse and Jack Stephens double-teamed Sead Kolasinac, both sliding in to rob the winger in the penalty area.
Saints were inches from a second when Oriol Romeu took aim from 25 yards and crashed his shot against the crossbar.
Then Tadic fed Austin once again but the frontman’s attempt to lift the ball over Cech drifted wide.
Arsenal pushed for an equaliser and Alexis Sanchez stood over a free-kick 20 yards out only for Forster to punch his shot clear.
But with two minutes left Sanchez curled a cross into the area and Giroud rose above Virgil van Dijk to guide his header inside the far post.
Arsenal dropped two points in their challenge to finish in the top four at Southampton on Sunday afternoon, when they were held to a 1-1 draw .
The Gunners fell a goal down after just three minutes at St Mary’s, when Charlie Austin knocked the ball in from close range amidst poor defending from the visitors.
But in the end, Arsenal had Olivier Giroud to thank for levelling matters just two minutes from time, with the Frenchman flicking home a deft header from Alexis Sanchez’s cross.
But Arsenal really should have levelled matters just 17 minutes into the game.
Following a fast break from a Southampton corner, Alexandre Lacazette found himself sprinting towards the Saints goal with Hector Bellerin on his left and Mesut Ozil on his right, with only Ryan Bertrand there to defend in front of Fraser Forster.
Lacazette exchanged passes with Bellerin before taking too long on the ball and allowing Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to get back.
On Twitter, Gunners fans couldn’t believe their team had passed up the chance.
BT Sport pundit Chris Sutton has slammed the decision not to award Arsenal a penalty during their 1-1 draw at Southampton on Sunday.
During the first half, Arsenal’s French striker Alexandre Lacazette appeared to be wiped out by Maya Yoshida as he blazed a shot over the bar.
Referee Robert Madley waved play on but Sutton is adamant that Arsene Wenger’s side should have been awarded a spot kick.
‘Absolute penalty, anywhere on the pitch that is a foul,’ Sutton said during half-time.
'Lacazette has a shot and is completely wiped out afterwards.
‘It has to be a penalty, it’s a foul.’
Former Premier League referee and Sportsmail columnist Graham Poll thinks because no Arsenal player appealed it would be tough to award a penalty.
‘It’s a classic example of over analysis and trial by video replay,’ said Poll.
'Lacazette gets his shot away and it’s sailing over the bar. Whilst he’s caught late and is fouled while the ball is still in play no Arsenal player appeals and no referee would give a penalty in such circumstances.
‘However, it is a foul and so technically it is a penalty as contact happens before the ball goes out of play.’
Saints started on the front foot and were ahead after just three minutes, when Charlie Austin latched on to Dušan Tadić’s pass to take his personal tally to four goals in as many games.
And despite being pegged back by Olivier Giroud’s late header, Pellegrino was happy with the way his side operated.
“At the beginning the feeling is that we have conceded at the end again, as it was more of less the same against City but it is different because we played a good game, showed intelligence and we got a point,” Pellegrino said.
“I think we competed really well, even with the changes we made and players like Jack and Prowsey who were out of their natural position. I am happy with that.
“Against this team you have to play close to excellent, because they don’t need too many actions to create problems but in both aspects, attacking and defending, we were intelligent and focused from beginning until the end.
“It’s a good reference for the future and in three days we have another opportunity. Hopefully we can continue in this way.”
Arsene Wenger added his voice to a barrage of protests about time-wasting as Arsenal squandered two more points at Southampton.
The Londoners trailed for most of the game following Charlie Austin’s third-minute opener.
Olivier Giroud came off the bench to head in a late equaliser but Wenger’s team have won only two of eight away games in this Premier League campaign.
‘The waste of time is becoming a real problem in England in the last two seasons,’ said the Arsenal boss. 'First, it has to be in the head of the players to respect the game and to play.
‘Then it is up to the referees to act. The answer is in the authority of the referee. They have it in their power.’
Pep Guardiola accused Southampton of time-wasting when Manchester City needed a last-minute winner to beat them 2-1 last month.
Wenger added: 'We’re not happy because we wanted to win but when you cannot win at least don’t lose.
'We have played with an excellent spirit in the last few week but we’ve dropped points in the last two games from bad starts.
‘The second half was played in one half of the pitch and it was important not to be caught on counter attack.’
Wenger also paid tribute to Giroud. ‘He is mentally very strong and we have to be grateful to a player who comes on when he is needed,’ he said. ‘It is a remarkable achievement.’
Giroud headed in from a cross by Alexis Sanchez. ‘It was a good cross and I try to be in the right place at the right time,’ said the Arsenal striker. ‘It’s nice to come back. We were pushing and we are pleased with this point because it’s difficult to play here. It’s a good point.’
Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino gives his assessment after his side were pegged back late on during the 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League.
The striker continued his red-hot recent form with a fourth goal in three starts to put the hosts in front inside three minutes.
But chances to extend the lead came and went before Olivier Giroud came off the bench to snatch a point with a headed equaliser two minutes from time.
“It’s a massive sense of frustration,” Austin said, despite his continued scoring exploits and an encouraging display from the team.
“We started off like a house on fire, with four chances in the first seven minutes, but we needed to get the second goal.
“I feel like I’m going to get chance after chance, so I’m putting myself in the right positions and luckily I’ve put the ball in the net.
“I should’ve scored the one when I went across Cech. As a kid growing up I was always told to go across goal, but he’s made a good save.
“I was delighted with the goal, but it was just instinct really. It got us a great start, but it’s one of them where we should’ve got the three points.
“We’ve got one and in hindsight, if we’d drawn against Man City we’d be [four games] unbeaten.
“We’ll go again – we’ve got big games coming up and a quick turnaround with Leicester at home, so hopefully we can give a good performance again.”
Watch our post-match interview with goalscorer Charlie Austin, whose fourth goal in three starts looked like earning Saints victory over Arsenal, only for the visitors to strike back with a late equaliser.
Mauricio Pellegrino hailed his “intelligent” Southampton players despite them conceding a late leveller against Arsenal in a 1-1 draw.
Charlie Austin’s early fine finish looked set to earn Southampton all three points at St Mary’s, but with just two minutes left on the clock, Olivier Giroud’s header salvaged a point for the visitors.
That is twice in three games late goals have denied Saints points, but Pellegrino feels the performance of the side was at the level he requires.
“At the beginning the feeling is that we have conceded at the end again, as it was more or less the same against [Manchester] City,” Pellegrino said. "But it is different because we played a good game, showed intelligence and we got a point.
“I think we competed really well, even with the changes we made and players like Jack Stephens and James Ward-Prowse who were out of their natural position. I am happy with that.”
Pellegrino was complimentary of Arsenal too, but feels the quality of Saints’ opponents brought out the best in his side.
“Against this team [Arsenal] you have to play close to excellent, because they don’t need too many actions to create problems but in both aspects, attacking and defending, we were intelligent and focused from beginning until the end,” Pellegrino added.
"This is a really strong Arsenal side. I know this season they are are not in the Champions League, but normally they are and fighting for the top four. For me, they are still a top team.
“It’s a good reference for the future and in three days we have another opportunity [against Leicester]. Hopefully we can continue in this way.”
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