Southampton 3-2 Arsenal: 5 Talking Points
Southampton ended Arsenal's 22-match unbeaten run during an action-packed Premier League affair at St. Mary's yesterday afternoon. Danny Ings' first-half brace, as well as another from Charlie Austin, proved enough to snatch all three points against the Gunners - who started slowly and were duly punished on the South Coast.
The game was Saints' boss Ralph Hasenhuttl's home debut and his side didn't disappoint - adopting a more physical, direct approach and remaining organised, even after Henrikh Mkhitaryan's brace.
The result propels them out of the relegation zone into 17th place, in only their second league victory this term to date. So with all of that in mind, here are five talking points from a memorable evening fixture:
#5 Nathan Redmond a man on a mission
It's crazy to think just how fast time flies. It feels like just yesterday, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola dominated headlines for his impassioned post-match conversation with Redmond at the Ethiad.
He was criticised for appearing confrontational, though the winger himself later revealed Pep was only "very complimentary and positive to me," something you rarely see in football.
"Last season he destroyed us here. I didn't know him last season, I realised how good he is."
That was little over a year ago now and Redmond is 24-years-old. No longer the talented teenager he once was at Norwich, his development has stalled somewhat in recent seasons and you could understand his frustration with that.
This season, he's adopted more of an attack-minded approach on the pitch to improve that. Constantly looking to get on the ball where possible, he has embraced his responsibility as one of Southampton's best creative players and become more consistent too.
On this occasion, it was no different. Just like his energetic bursts and intelligent movement stifled Manchester United on December 1, he was continually a thorn in the Arsenal backline.
His close-control dribbling, overlapping runs, unselfish eye for a pass and a general eagerness to create in the final third made himself a handful from the early exchanges. He created the assist for Ings' second with a deft lofted ball across the box - his first for the campaign, and currently tops the club's charts in terms of chances created this season.
Perhaps Pep's words of encouragement are beginning to work after all.