Southampton vs. Arsenal: Score, Reaction from 2015 Premier League Match

Southampton exposed Arsenal's flawed Premier League title bid with an emphatic 4-0 win at St Mary's on Boxing Day.

Cuco Martina, Jose Fonte and two from Shane Long punished an overworked Gunners squad thoroughly outfought on the night.

There was little fight from manager Arsene Wenger's men as Arsenal missed the chance to seize top spot in the Premier League.

A lengthy injury list meant Wenger had no choice but to rely on a very familiar starting XI, per the club's official Twitter feed:

Saints gaffer Ronald Koeman opted for plenty of pace up front. So hard-running Shane Long was given the nod to lead the attack, according to Southampton's official Twitter account:

In-form striker Olivier Giroud headed over for the Gunners from the game's first corner. It was a presentable chance for the prolific target man.

Arsenal's passing was typically quick and controlled early on. They fashioned a set piece that assist-wizard Mesut Ozil lofted in, but towering centre-back Per Mertesacker mistimed his jump and failed to connect.

Meanwhile, Southampton's early attempts to release Long's pace proved fruitless. He was flagged offside numerous times in the opening 10 minutes as Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny held a smart line.

Play then got a little scrappy, best summed up by Victor Wanyama's crunching tackle on Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey. Southampton began creeping into the game, but pass-master Jordy Clasie still wasn't getting on the ball enough.

Ramsey soon lit up the game with a blind reverse pass to find left-back Nacho Monreal. Sadly, the Spaniard's cross was deflected over, and Ramsey's delightful vision went unrewarded.

At the other end, a vital header from Mertesacker denied Sadio Mane a point-blank scoring chance. Then Monreal scuffed a rebound after a Giroud header.

But Arsenal's steady dominance was soon undone in unlikely fashion. A stooping header from Mertesacker bounced out to right-back Cuco Martina, who drilled an unforgettable half volley past a stunned Petr Cech from near 30 yards.

Christopher Lee/Getty Images

The technique was breathtaking.

Martina made the most of his rarest of forays forward, according to WhoScored.com:

He also created a first for the Premier League, according to the division's official Twitter feed:

The Gunners were rattled. Koscielny was fortunate to escape punishment for a cynical challenge on Long. Then a bad touch from the centre-back in his own box nearly let the Saints double their lead.

Walcott squandered a pair of decent half-chances, but Arsenal generally struggled to create in the final third.

Some more wasteful passes allowed Mane to free Long over the top. But his attempted lob sailed high over the bar.

Southampton had been too quick and too strong for Arsenal in the first half. Things continued that way early on after the restart when Mane sped and bundled his way into the box.

Then Virgil van Dijk was denied a goal for a borderline offside. Cech was left battered and bruised by the incident.

Arsenal were struggling to create because of the way Ozil was being bracketed by Wanyama and Clasie:

More pitiful possession was punished ruthlessly when Theo Walcott's aimless pass was intercepted and shunted to Long, who fed Mane out wide. He rolled the ball back across for his team-mate to tap into an empty net.

Celebrity fan Piers Morgan blasted the limp resistance to this goal:

He also pinpointed the frustration many Arsenal fans must feel on nights like this:

Long was simply bullying the Gunners' defence, as OptaJoe revealed:

Any midfield barrier there might have been was missing in action.

Wenger made a change, although it hardly seemed to matter. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came on for Joel Campbell. The Saints then swapped out Clasie for Oriol Romeu in a like-for-like change in midfield.

Southampton's dominance wasn't interrupted by the changes. Centre-back Jose Fonte headed in a corner for a scoreline that reflected the pattern of the game.

The goal also revealed how ruthless the Saints were in front of goal:

Conceding a third represented Arsenal's worst defensive outing in over a year:

He hardly needed to but Koeman went for the kill by introducing Dusan Tadic. The winger soon forced Cech into a good save.

Arsenal's tame attempts to grab a consolation barely registered a threat, but there was still time for Long to strike the post.

He went one better in stoppage time when Tadic put Long through to roll the ball under Cech. Koscielny made no attempt to track the run.

Post-Match Reaction

Wenger lamented the way his team was physically below par. He also felt Long had gotten away with plenty during the game:

Wenger emphasised how the Gunners were pushed around too easily in the middle, but he also seemed to suggest the decisions hadn't gone his team's way:

Despite the drubbing, Wenger remains confident these players will bounce back in the right way in their next match:

While Wenger was naturally left to bemoan what his team didn't do well, Koeman couldn't find fault with his own players:

This defeat must be an eye-opener for Wenger. With so many injuries, particularly in midfield, he must realise his squad needs reinforcements in January. A burly central midfield player and a crafty striker look a must.

But he should also be concerned by how easily and completely his players surrendered.

As for Southampton, Koeman's squad boasts a real gem in Wanyama, who was colossal in the middle. The Saints shouldn't be struggling as much as they have this season. Perhaps this excellent result will reawaken their obvious talent.