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Arsenal drew 1-1 with Southampton on Wednesday and avoided falling to their fifth consecutive home defeat.
Before the game, the Saints had only lost once in their last 10 matches and entered the fixture with high-flying confidence.
Former Arsenal man Theo Walcott broke the deadlock to put Southampton in front in the 18th minute. The Saints dominated possession against the home team and deserved to take the lead. Since joining the club in October, Walcott has rediscovered his form and now has four goal contributions this season.
Arsenal delivered a better second-half performance against Southampton, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring for the first time since his penalty in early November. However, Gabriel Magalhaes was shown a red card 10 minutes later, and Arsenal's efforts to get all three points were dealt with a blow.
On that note, here are the five talking points from the draw at the Emirates Stadium.
#5 Arsenal's waning confidence in the Premier League
Of the last six Premier League goals that Arsenal have conceded, five of them came in the first half. Every time they concede, the Gunners have absolutely no way of getting back and winning the game.
Arsenal's lack of confidence is costing them everywhere on the pitch. Since the first whistle, Southampton looked more comfortable and ready to score. The Gunners were nowhere near their level of readiness or competitiveness.
To prove the point, Arsenal's lacklustre passes were too easily read out by the Southampton players. The home team lost possession at key areas in their own half because Rob Holding and Gabriel were both too casual on and off the ball.
The Gunners also struggled to pass their way out of trouble. At one point in time, every Arsenal player was in his own half, and Holding could only resort to long balls back to Southampton keeper, Alex McCarthy.
Mikel Arteta's side face even tougher opponents in their upcoming matches, and this draw might be a small confidence booster for the players.
#4 Southampton on track to having a great season
Sitting third in the Premier League table before later fixtures are played out, Ralph Hasenhuttl will be relieved to know that his team are going on the right track under his tutelage.
The Saints had the chance to move up to the top of the table rankings but after an equaliser for Aubameyang, they could not find a way through the resilient Arsenal backline.
Last season, the Saints finished 11th in the Premier League. This time around, they could finish in the top half of the table. As we inch closer to the second half of the season, Southampton have won seven out of 13 Premier League fixtures and lost just three.
If Hasenhuttl can motivate his players to maintain their excellent form, there is a chance of them qualifying for European football at the end of the season.
#3 Concerning disinterest from Arsenal players
Although nothing can be said off the field, based on everything that is seen on the pitch, it appears that many Arsenal players are not interested in winning Premier League games.
No one has a clue of what might have happened between the players and Mikel Arteta. The downfall of Arsenal in the Premier League is simply too drastic.
Edu Gasper was present at the Emirates Stadium and despite giving his backing to the Arsenal manager in recent days, the Brazilian didn't seem happy at all.
While things improved slightly in the second half, and Aubameyang scored his third Premier League goal this season, the draw should not mask the fact that Arsenal are struggling like a fish out of the water.
Their first-half display was abhorrent. Passes were wayward, and the players looked out of sorts. Fortunately, the Gunners salvaged a draw from this match but they will not always be this lucky.
#2 Arsenal's on-field discipline is a major worry
Arsenal were handed three red cards in their last five Premier League game. After Nicolas Pepe and Granit Xhaka, Gabriel has now received his marching orders.
Unlike his team-mates, the Brazilian did not get a straight red for violent conduct. Instead, two yellow cards in the second half led to the 22-year-old's dismissal, forcing Arsenal to play with 10 men for the remainder of the game.
Arteta certainly cannot be blamed for this, but the players need to take more responsibility for their own discipline. Their absence is hampering Arsenal's efforts of advancing as the team tends to put extra men behind the ball and concentrate on defending.
#1 Back Mikel Arteta or sack him?
West Bromwich Albion are the first Premier League club to sack their manager this season. Slaven Bilic was relieved of his managerial duties despite getting a point against Manchester City. The club has since appointed Sam Allardyce.
Having managed teams like Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Everton and even the England national team, Big Sam has got plenty of experience. Comparatively, Mikel Arteta is probably the most inexperienced manager in the Premier League since managing Arsenal is his first time fully in charge of a club.
This begets the question of whether the Gunners should turn to a relatively more experienced manager or stick with Arteta and continue to give him the backing.
Arsenal are still stuck in 15th and risk missing out on European football next season. If rumours that Arteta has lost the dressing room's faith are true, then it's better to take action early rather than sweeping things under the carpet.
