Arsenal v Southampton ratings: Saka 8, Ramsdale 6; Caleta-Car 8, Walcott 7

Bukayo Saka’s last-minute equaliser earned the hosts a thrilling 3-3 draw that still hands the impetus to rivals Manchester City in the Premier League title race

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  ARSENAL RATINGS: Aaron Ramsdale – 6. His misplaced pass just 20 seconds after kick off led to Southampton’s opener. He made a double save to deny Alcaraz and Elyounoussi in quick succession in the 25th minute to try and make up for it, and could do little about the other two goals. Getty Images

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  Ben White – 7. Denied a goal by a goal-line clearance from Alcaraz in the 48th minute. Assisted Odegaard's goal with a simple pass for the captain to sweep home. Getty Images

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  Oleksandr Zinchenko – 5. Lost Bella-Kotchap for Southampton’s third goal. Guilty of a number of misplaced passes. Getty Images

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  Rob Holding – 6. Headed high when he had a chance to test Bazunu in the 46th minute. Kept things simple in defence but still lacked the ball-playing ability of Saliba. Getty Images

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  Gabriel Magalhaes – 6. Got caught ball-watching as Walcott slipped behind him to put the Saints two goals ahead in the 14th minute. Made a brilliant tackle to stop Onuachu late on. AP Photo

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  Thomas Partey – 5. Lost possession, again, which led to Arsenal conceding a third. Struggled to help the Gunners dictate play from the back. Reuters

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  Fabio Veira – 5. Failed to sort his feet out quickly enough when he received the ball on the edge of the penalty area in the 32nd minute. Has to do better with his decision-making around the penalty area. AP Photo

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  Martin Odegaard – 7. Should have at least tested Bazunu when he met Martinelli’s cross with a header in the 28th minute. However, he brought the Gunners back into the game with a left-footed effort from the edge of the box in the 88th minute. Getty Images

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  Bukayo Saka – 8. Did well to get the better of Perraud and also set up Martinelli to bring the Gunners back into the game. Put in a brilliant cross that Jesus failed to connect with in the 78th minute. Drew the Gunners level with a close-range effort at the death to spark mayhem in the stands. Getty Images

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  Gabriel Martinelli – 7. Showed tremendous pace to burst past two Southampton defenders and almost set Saka up in the fourth minute. Gave the Gunners a lifeline with a first-time finish past Bazunu in the 20th minute. Was a thorn in the flesh of Walker-Peters on the left-hand side. EPA

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  Gabriel Jesus – 5. Failed to beat Bazunu when Saka played him through on goal in the 45th minute. Should have scored when Martinelli found him behind the Saints defence with a cross in the second half. EPA

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  SUBS: Leandro Trossard (Viera, 57) – 6. Almost put the Gunners ahead with an effort that came off the crossbar in the 92nd minute. Played a crucial role in the Gunners’ late fightback. AP Photo

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  Eddie Nketiah (Zinchenko, 72) - N/A. Inadvertently blocked Saka’s effort in the 78th minute. Worked hard but didn't really have a chance to make a difference. EPA

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  Reiss Nelson (Martinelli, 85) - N/A. His first-time effort that was saved got parried into the path of Saka to bring the Gunners level. Denied by Ward-Prowse in the 95th minute. PA

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  SOUTHAMPTON RATINGS: Gavin Bazunu – 6. Stepped off his line quickly to deny Jesus space to draw Arsenal level in the 47th minute. Made a brilliant stop to deny Nelson’s effort but couldn’t do anything to stop the rebound from Saka in the 90th minute. EPA

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  Kyle Walker-Peters – 5. Allowed Martinelli to get past him too easily with a drop of the shoulder in the seventh minute. Had a torrid night against the Brazilian and then Nelson on the right-hand side of defence. AFP

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  Armel Bella-Kotchap – 7. Made a last-ditch challenge to deny Martinelli from finding Saka with a cross early on. Denied Jesus with a block on the stroke of half time. Assisted the Saints’ third goal with a header towards the back post. Reuters

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  Jan Bednarek – 6. Started the game well but had to leave the pitch before half time due to a nasty fall. AFP

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  Romain Perraud – 5. Failed to get close to Saka and gave him too much space to cross the ball for Martinelli to tap home. Never looked like stopping Saka, as the winger repeatedly got past him in the second half. AFP

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  James Ward-Prowse – 6. His corner kick delivery led to the third goal. Deflected Nelson’s effort wide in the 95th minute. Getty Images

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  Carlos Alcaraz – 8. Pounced on a Ramsdale misplaced pass to give Saints the lead with a swerving finish into the bottom corner. Created the second with a well-weighted pass behind Gabriel for Walcott to sweep home. Preserved the visitors’ lead by making a goal-line clearance on the stroke of half time. AP Photo

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  Mohamed Elyounoussi – 6. Tested Ramsdale with a header in the 25th minute. Spent most of the second half in his own half as he tucked back in to help the struggling Walker-Peters. Getty Images

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  Romeo Lavia – 8. Looked very calm on the ball. Crucial to helping Saints play out from the back against the Gunners’ high press. AP Photo

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  Adam Armstrong – 6. A quiet game. He dropped deep to help the Saints’ midfield as the Gunners piled on the pressure in the second half. Getty Images

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  Theo Walcott – 7. Doubled Saints’ lead against his former team by getting behind Gabriel and slotting past Ramsdale. Forced Ramsdale into a routine save from long-range in the 29th minute. EPA

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  Duke Caleta-Car (Bednarek, 41) – 8. Made a block to stop Martinelli’s effort in the sixth minute of first-half added time. Helped the Saints regain their two-goal cushion with a header in the 66th minute. Reuters

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  Lyanco (Alcaraz, 46) – 7. Made a brilliant interception to deny Vieira what looked like a certain goal in the 53rd minute. Stayed tight to Jesus to stop him from turning and making a run at goal five minutes later. Reuters

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  Kamaldeen Sulemana (Walcott, 77) - N/A. Worked hard after coming on but failed to help stop the Gunners’ late fightback. Getty Images

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  Paul Onuachu (Armstrong, 77) - N/A. Proved useful in helping the Saints hold onto the ball and run down the clock late in the game. AP Photo

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  Ibrahima Diallo (Lavia, 86) - N/A. Came on too late to make an impact. AP Photo

Arsenal’s Premier League title tilt stuttered yet again even after they came from behind to score two late goals and earn a battling point against bottom club Southampton.

Bukayo Saka’s last-minute equaliser earned the hosts a thrilling 3-3 draw that still hands the impetus to rivals Manchester City ahead of their clash at the Etihad Stadium next week.

Saints had looked on course for a shock win to move off the bottom of the table after Carlos Alcaraz opened the scoring inside a minute and then teed up former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott to double the lead.

Gabriel Martinelli pulled a goal back, but the hosts looked down and out when substitute Duje Caleta-Car headed home in the second half.

However, captain Martin Odegaard bent home a fine strike with two minutes to go before Saka turned in the late leveller before substitute Leandro Trossard rattled the crossbar in stoppage time.

The result leaves Arsenal five points clear of City at the summit, but they have now played two more games than their rivals, whom they meet on Wednesday.