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Arsenal's unbeaten run ends with 3-2 loss at Southampton

A late goal by substitute Charlie Austin gave relegation-threatened Southampton a thrilling 3-2 victory over Arsenal on Sunday in new Austrian manager Ralph Hasenhuettl's first home game. It was the Londoners' first defeat in 23 games and meant they lost ground on fourth-placed Chelsea, while Southampton moved out of the bottom three.

Published December 16,2018
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Arsenal's 22-game unbeaten run in all competitions came to an end with a 3-2 loss at Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday, with Charlie Austin's 85th-minute goal sealing a first win for new Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuettl.

Arsenal twice came from behind through goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and looked like preserving an undefeated streak in the league stretching back to Aug. 18 — a stretch of 14 games.

But Shane Long got free down the right and sent in a cross that went over Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno and was headed in at the far post by Austin. It was a winning goal that lifted Southampton out of the relegation zone with 17 of 38 matches gone.

Danny Ings had earlier put Southampton ahead on two occasions with headers, taking advantage of poor positional play from Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny, who was making his first league start since April after a serious knee injury.

Hasenhuettl took over from the fired Mark Hughes and lost his first game in charge, at Cardiff last weekend. He celebrated the win by running onto the field and leaping into the air in delight.