Almost as though the script demanded it, Matthew Le Tissier, the Saint they call Le God, stepped off the substitutes' bench to score the final goal at The Dell two minutes from the end of Southampton's 103-year tenure.

It was a match-winner, too, which confined Premiership runners-up Arsenal to the same fate suffered by champions Manchester United last Sunday and enabled Southampton to finish in their highest-ever Premiership position.

Not a bad foundation to begin their life at a new 32,000-seater stadium a few miles down the road next season.

Down the years there have been many great heroes at The Dell - Channon, Keegan, Osgood, McMenemy, but Le Tissier ranks with them all in Southampton hearts and minds.

At 32 he has just signed a new one-year contract and that has been cause enough for celebration even though he has spent most of the campaign on the sidelines through injury.

With 17 minutes left and Saints somehow still level with Arsenal thanks to a Hassan Kachloul double, the 6ft-tall Channel Islander was finally introduced from the bench to a massive reception.

Only a linesman's offside flag defeated his perfect pass that sent Marian Pahars clear, but when Le Tissier pulled down a right-wing cross and let fly from 15 yards on 88 minutes you just knew the missile would beat Arsenal reserve goalkeeper Alex Manninger.

Referee Paul Taylor might as well have ended the contest there and then but the Southampton faithful just about managed to remain in their seats before the inevitable invasion at the final whistle.

Neither side had anything to play for, but after an alarmingly lethargic start Ashley Cole's opening goal for Arsenal, cleverly fashioned by Pires' outrageous dummy and scored at the second attempt by the young England defender, ignited an exciting match.

Arsenal held their 26th-minute lead until the interval although they could easily have doubled it after cutting through the Saints defence time and again.

Equally, they should have lost it when unmarked James Beattie planted a header powerfully but straight at Manninger from a Wayne Bridge cross.

In the event it did not survive the opening minute of the second half when despite Cole's stretch to cut out a dangerous low cross by Beattie, Arsenal still could not clear completely.

And when Gilles Grimandi's attempted hack to safety was charged down on the edge of the area by Chris Marsden it fell to Kachloul, who produced a superb chip-shot over the keeper.

Arsenal's elderly defence looked panic-stricken for a while after that and even Cole was booked for a sloppy tackle.

But Thierry Henry's blistering pace on the right led to them going in front again on 54 minutes when Fredrik Ljungberg drilled in the rampaging Frenchman's unselfish drag-back.

Desperate saves by Paul Jones prevented Kanu - an early substitute for Dennis Bergkamp - and Ray Parlour blasting Arsenal into clear daylight, but battling Saints were not prepared to surrender to superior technique.

Kachloul conjured a second equaliser just after the hour when Manninger failed to deal with Beattie's aerial challenge from a Kevin Davies cross.

And as Arsenal rolled over after Patrick Vieira's shot rebounded back into play off a post, Le Tissier stepped up to play his heroic role.

Arsenal had a touch of deja-vu and not just because of four Frenchman in their side. Just one goal ahead and coasting, they were caught by an equaliser and then an 88th minute decider.

Now where have Arsene Wenger's beaten Cup finalists heard that story before?

Teams

Southampton: Jones, Monk (El Khalej 74), Lundekvam, Richards, Bridge, Tessem, Marsden, Kachloul (Benali 81), Pahars, Davies (Le Tissier 74), Beattie.

Subs Not Used: Moss, Draper.

Booked: Davies.

Goals: Kachloul 46, 61, Le Tissier 89.

Arsenal: Manninger, Grimandi, Keown, Adams, Cole, Pires (Upson 85), Vieira, Parlour, Ljungberg (Edu 73), Henry, Bergkamp (Kanu 34).

Subs Not Used: Stepanovs, Taylor.

Booked: Vieira, Cole.

Goals: Cole 28, Ljungberg 54.

Att: 15,252

Ref: P Taylor (Cheshunt).