Southampton's fortress, The Dell, held firm under siege from the Gunners to
cost Arsene Wenger's Premiership challengers two vital points and keep the
Saints on course for another escape act.
Arsenal threw everything at Southampton in a bid to make up ground on
Manchester United at the top of the table but couldn't find a way past stand-in
keeper Neil Moss.
The struggling Saints, however, will also be disappointed not to have taken
more from an enthralling encounter where they matched the champions stride for
stride.
Dave Jones' team are unbeaten on home soil since Boxing Day and played with
enough pride and energy to suggest they could still be welcoming the Gunners
back to the south coast next season.
Veteran striker Mark Hughes, searching for his first Southampton goal, wasted
a golden chance in the first half and then saw old foe David Seaman pull off a
wonderful second-half stop to deny him again.
Both teams were desperate for the three points for different reasons butcame
into the game plagued by injury and suspension problems.
Arsenal were without the inspirational Dennis Bergkamp, who had flu, Marc
Overmars and the suspended Emmanuel Petit.
Saints were missing suspended trio Matt Le Tissier, Chris Marsden and Hassan
Kachloul, keeper Paul Jones, who was injured before Wales' Euro 2000 qualifier
in Switzerland in midweek, and Matthew Oakley, still ruled out with a rib
injury.
Southampton were also unable to parade their £1.3million striker Marians
Pahars who picked up a knee injury playing for Latvia.
Despite their depleted line-up, the Saints started with confidence and gusto.
They could have gone ahead in the second minute when Wayne Bridge robbed Lee
Dixon deep in Arsenal territory and forced a save from Seaman.
The England keeper is another nursing an injury but has been forced to soldier
on for the Gunners because his young Austrian deputy Alex Manninger has broken
an arm. The goalkeeping shortage meant a place on Arsenal's bench for veteran
John Lukic.
Seaman should have been picking the ball out of his net six minutes later when
Hughes' troubles continued in front of goal.
The former Manchester United and Chelsea marksman hasn't scored since
his summer move to the Dell and he missed an open goal which could prove vital in
the Saints relegation battle.
Jason Dodd forced his way into the Arsenal penalty area and found Egil
Ostenstad on the left.
The Norwegian's first cross appeared to strike the arm of Tony Adams and, as
the Dell appealed for a penalty, Ostenstad pulled the ball back for Hughes in
front of goal only to see the Welshman miscue and hit the post.
The normally clinical Nicolas Anelka was guilty of wasting Arsenal's chance of
the half, two minutes before the interval. He was found by Lee Dixon inside the
area but his finish was wild.
The Gunners were more forceful after the break but found the Southampton
defence solid in front of keeper Neil Moss, who was making only his second start
of the season in place of the injured Jones. The keeper performed well for the
Saints, making two brave second-half stops at the feet of Anelka, and an
excellent save to deny sub Louis BoaMorte.
He could only look and hope, though, as Nwankwo Kanu failed to seal the win
for the Gunners. The Nigerian international looked odds-on to put the champions
ahead but he allowed Francis Benali to clear off the line.
Anelka, whose pace
was a serious threat all afternoon, unlocked the Southampton back-four with
another dash and a clever turn to give Scott Hiley the slip.
The Frenchman squared the ball from the right to Kanu but his weak side-foot
effort was aimed straight at Benali with Moss out of position.
Mark Hughes was left to wonder if he is ever going to score for his club when
he was denied by a brilliant save from Seaman in the 76th minute.
Hiley picked out the Saints striker with an inch-perfect cross from theright
and the Welshman powered a header on target only to see Seaman hurl himself
across his goal-line and parry. The rebound was turned goalward by James
Beattie but the flag was up for offside.
Teams
Southampton: Moss, Dodd, Colleter, D. Hughes, Monkou, Lundekvam,
Ripley (Benali 65), M. Hughes, Ostenstad (Beattie 54), Hiley, Bridge.
Subs Not Used: Monk, Williams, Stensgaard.
Booked: Colleter, Monkou, M. Hughes.
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Winterburn, Vieira, Adams,
Keown (Bould 86), Parlour, Ljungberg (Boa Morte 65), Anelka,
Kanu, Diawara (Vivas 77).
Subs Not Used: Grimandi, Lukic.
Booked: Vieira.
Att: 15,255.
Ref: P Jones (Loughborough).
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