Arsenal fluff chance to lead Premier League

Arsenal squandered their chance to go top of the English Premier League on Saturday night after a 4-0 thrashing at Southampton. The destruction came just five days after the north Londonders swept past title rivals Manchester City at the Emirates.

Arsene Wenger said his Arsenal players failed to respond to the physicality of Southampton. Reuters/Alan Walter

Shane Long bagged a brace in the second half as Arsene Wenger's men capitulated to the physical challenge posed by Ronald Koeman's side.

With pacesetters Leicester City losing 1-0 at Liverpool earlier in the afternoon, Arsenal could have gone top of the league with victory.

Instead they remain second two points behind the surprise leaders. Manchester City, who pulverised Sunderland 4-1 are third, three points off the pace.

Tottenham Hotspur, who enjoyed a 3-0 romp past Norwich City, are fourth.

Wenger said after the match that referee Jon Moss incorrectly allowed three of Southampton's goals. "We were unlucky with the decisions of the referee. The first goal was offside, the second a foul and the third should have been a goal kick to us.

"If you're a bit below par and, on top of that, three goals go against you in the decisions, it's very difficult. But well done Southampton and we hope that in the next game we have this type of decisions."

Wenger admitted Southampton was the sharper team. "We cannot master the decisions of the referee," added the 66-year-old Frenchman. "But our own behaviour we can and on that front I believe Southampton looked stronger in the challenges and we lost too many."

Unsurprisingly, the Southampton manager Ronald Koeman dismissed Wenger's criticism of the referee, preferring to extol the rumbustious virtues of Long, who has been in the shadow of top scorer Graziano Pelle, who missed the match with a knee injury.

"If you lose 4-0 it's not about the referee," he said. "It's not my way to analyse a game. But Shane Long created big problems and was very dangerous. He attacked the spaces behind the Arsenal defenders. He's a different number nine to Graziano and that's important."